About YAS

The Young Academy for Sustainability Research (YAS) seeks to foster cross-disciplinary cooperation between distinguished scholars in the field of sustainability research. The Academy’s objective is to provide an institutional structure that will enable Post-Docs to foster multidisciplinary dialogue, start collaborative projects, and engage with the general public. The YAS is funded by the Eva Mayr-Stihl Foundation and was launched in October 2021. The first cohort is working on sustainability-related topics until September 2024 (for a list of projects click here).

The Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS) is the multi-disciplinary international research college of the University of Freiburg. Particular attention is paid to promoting promising young academics, with FRIAS creating ample opportunities for them to build international networks by engaging in inspirational discussions and collaborative research with the members of the Fellow community across disciplines and cultures. FRIAS invites renowned scholars from around the world to Freiburg, offering a setting in which they can dedicate themselves to an inspiring research project or publication of their choice.

YAS is open to post-doctoral researchers (2-6 years’ experience after the PhD) from all disciplines and cultural backgrounds and with an interest in as well as a strong commitment to interdisciplinary research. For its 2024 Fellowship call, the YAS reaches out to researchers who want to contribute to the following two broader thematic fields and related cross-cutting areas: transformative city-regions and human-technology-environment relations.

As a YAS member you will benefit from peer-mentoring and enjoy network-building with other like-minded scientists. You will be linked with a vibrant international and interdisciplinary research community and connected to the strong research, teaching, and transfer activities on sustainability topics at the University of Freiburg. Every member receives €5,000 of individual research budget as well as €160,000 of group budget for joint projects with other YAS members (workshops, publications, field trips, outreach activities etc.). You will have the opportunity to become a guest researcher at FRIAS for stays of up to 2 months. Travel and accommodation for the quarterly meetings in Freiburg as well as for a guest researcher stay are fully covered by YAS.

YAS has 16 members, of which 8 are from the University of Freiburg. Additionally, there will be 4 associate Members from global partner universities.

Members are obliged to actively participate in the quarterly meetings in Freiburg and to initiate interdisciplinary research projects with other YAS members.

No, we only offer one fellowship in residence within the YAS. Click here to find out about the application modalities. Apart from that, YAS members do not receive a contract, but are employed through their home affiliation.

The members meet three times per year for 3-day-long meetings in Freiburg and for one digital meeting. Regular attendance at the meetings is mandatory.

No, only half of the members are from the University of Freiburg. Only during the quarterly meetings in Freiburg all the members come together.