Young Academy for Sustainability Research (YAS)
What is YAS?
The Young Academy for Sustainability Research was established in 2021 at the Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS) and is composed of postdocs from a wide variety of disciplines. They work on joint research projects and publications in the field of sustainability research as well as organise scientific conferences and workshops.
About YAS
The Young Academy for Sustainability Research (YAS) is supported by the Eva Mayr-Stihl Foundation, enabling its interdisciplinary work in sustainability research. This page offers a glimpse into the organization of YAS, including its advisory board, key contacts, and structure, as well as highlights of its most important recent activities.
Members of YAS
The Young Academy for Sustainability Research (YAS) is composed of postdoctoral researchers from various disciplines, all working on sustainability-related topics. Managed by its members, the academy entered its second cohort in 2024. This page provides an overview of the current members and their academic backgrounds.
Projects
YAS projects are the result of shared decision-making and the autonomy of its members in selecting and developing initiatives. Designed to span across various academic disciplines, these projects foster collaborative research on sustainability topics. Members meet regularly, both in person at the Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies and virtually, to discuss progress, exchange ideas, and plan future endeavors.
YAS News
In a creative attempt to convey their research findings to a younger audience, the first cohort of the YAS authored a graphic novel that was published last December.
Hussam Hussein, member of the YAS’ first cohort has been co-author of an article in the journal Nature examining how global academic institutions evaluate researchers for academic promotion.
The call for applications for two associate memberships at Nagoya University‘s Institute for Advanced Research just opened. Apply now!
If you missed out on the FRIAS Lunch Lectures series on the topic of sustainable transformations (6 November to 18 December 2024), you can re-watch the event here.
Benjamin Schütze and Matthias Kranke (both first generation of YAS) wrote an article in the Science magazine on the Risks of Morroco’s Green Hydrogen Plans.
In mid-October, the second cohort of YAS members was ceremonially welcomed with a very positive interim evaluation.
If you missed the exhibition “Is sustainability near or far, colourful or black-and-white?”, you now have the chance to get an impression of the experimental dialogues on sustainability.
“YAS! The Podcast” was launched in January 2024. In this first season, some members of the YAS present themselves as well as their research endeavours.
Visit the exhibition “Is sustaibability near or far, colourful or black-and-white?” of the Artist in Residence at the YAS Katrin von Lehmann.
Read more about the YAS-Workshop: “On the Politics of Legal Processes to Redress Environmental Injustices”, organized by Dr. Cristina Espinosa and Dr. Rike Sinder.
Interview: Get to know Dr. Sahani Pathiraja, YAS member (first generation) and data scientist, on a quest through a wide range of reseach fields searching to make better predictions in a complex world.
Article: YAS Fellow Dr. Rita Sousa Silva (first generation) in Welt am Sonntag (edition n° 7, 12.02.2023) on how an ecological green city can succeed [Article available in slightly abridged form on Welt.de].
Videointerview: YAS Fellow Dr. Rita Sousa Silva (first generation) discussing with uniTV the role and significance of trees in the city – and which challenges they are facing.
Call for action: YAS Fellow Dr. Rita Sousa Silva (first generation) and Jürgen Bauhus (Chair of Silviculture) encourage citizens to water city trees [German only].
Video: Freiburger Horizonte event with Thekla Walker, Minister of the Environment, Climate Protection and the Energy Sector on the significance of ressource efficiency for climate change and economic resilience [German only].
Emmy Noether Junior Research Group for YAS member Dr. Benjamin Schütze (first generation) on the topic “Renewable energy, renewed authoritarianisms? The political economy of solar energy in the MENA-region”.
YAS members Dr. Thilo Wiertz and Dr. Benjamin Schütze (both first generation) on the geopolitics of the energy transition [German only].
Video: Rewatch the international workshop on transnational dimensions of energy transitions “Politics and inequalities in and beyond Latin America and West Asia-North Africa“, organized by YAS members Dr. Thilo Wiertz and Dr. Benjamin Schütze (both first generation).
YAS Fellow Dr. Rita Sousa Silva (first generation) and FRESCO Fellow Prof. Dr. Klaus Puettmann (Oregon State University) introducing the research field of forest ecology.
Video: Rewatch the FRIAS-Kamingespräche with YAS member Dr. Rike Sinder (first generation) and Mayor Martin Horn on how Freiburg is adapting to face the challenges of climate change [German only].
Announcement: YAS-member Dr. Matthias Kranke (first eneration) obtained DFG funds for the research network “The Global Politics of Post-Growth” [German only].
Interview: YAS Fellow Dr. Benjamin Schütze (first generation) introduces in his interview with DUZ (edition 12/2021) the YAS and emphasises that it intends to “take a public stand on specific issues” [German only].
Interview: Prof. Dr. Bernd Kortmann, former FRIAS Director (2013-2022), on the inauguration of the Young Academy for Sustainability Research.
Video: Re-watch the inauguration event of the Young Academy for Sustainability Research.