In October, several GYA members and alumni represented the GYA at two major gatherings in Japan: the Tsukuba Conference and the Science and Technology in Society (STS) Forum, both focused on how science can advance trust, inclusion, and sustainability in a rapidly changing world.
At the Tsukuba Conference, GYA Co-Chair Yensi Flores Bueso (University College Cork, Ireland) delivered the opening remarks, highlighting how the GYA bridges science, policy, and society to connect researchers with decision-makers and communities. Later, both Yensi and Co-Chair Siok Yee Chan (Universiti Sains, Malaysia) moderated the plenary “Giants of Science,” featuring Science Laureates, where GYA Executive Committee member Carina Geldhauser Telitsin (ETH Zurich, Switzerland) and alumna Alma Cristal Hernández Mondragón (Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico), along with 2 Tsukuba researchers, reflected on the curiosity, persistence, and responsibility that shape discovery.
GYA Executive Committee member Francesco Maurelli (Constructor University, Germany), member Oscar Xavier Guerrero Gutiérrez (Cinestav, Mexico), and alumna Yoko Shimpuku (Hiroshima University, Japan) also participated in the conference.
The GYA Co-Chairs also chaired the dialogue between Future Shapers and University Presidents, discussing science and technology policy and geopolitics, diversity and mobility, and AI and education. These conversations emphasised the role of young scientists in creating inclusive, forward-looking research environments. The event concluded with the signing of the 2025 Tsukuba Declaration, reaffirming our collective commitment to science that serves society.
At the STS Forum in Kyoto, Yensi spoke in the session on AI and Healthcare, addressing how emerging technologies can support equitable health systems. Both Co-Chairs joined the funders’ dialogue, where they hoped to engage in new collaborations for projects that bring together science and society and support early-career researchers (ECR) worldwide to strengthen ECR participation in major international fora.
Together, these engagements highlight how the GYA continues to represent young scientists as trusted partners in shaping science for a better, fairer, and more connected world.