The 2022 GYA Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held online from 13-17 June 2022, in connection with the International Conference of Young Scientists on the topic “Harmonizing Reason with Sensibility: Regenerating science for an inclusive and sustainable future” (latter from 14 June till 17 June 2022).
The International Conference will be hosted by the Young Academy of Japan, with support from the Science Council of Japan (SCJ). Panels will be held at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan, with online participation for GYA members, alumni and partner organisations from around the world. In preparation, GYA members have been collaborating within the Focus Area “Harmonising reason with sensibility”.
Programme and registration are available on the Conference Website.
Harmonizing Reason with Sensibility: Regenerating science for an inclusive and sustainable future
Although countries have started moving toward achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), more effort is needed to bring about truly transformative changes around the world. Scientific research is still at times fragmented and trust in science is fragile in many places. A new generation of researchers needs to regenerate science in order to tackle the global challenges we are facing.
At the 2022 International Conference, GYA members will convene to discuss ways to transcend disciplinary silos; to spark a global interdisciplinary dialogue to reform the science system and rethink the contribution of science to society. As an interdisciplinary science academy, the GYA fosters collaboration between the natural, physical and social sciences, as well as engineering, medicine, the arts and humanities, aiming to develop a more human-oriented perspective on science and scholarship.
Conference sessions will address ways that science is more than only a rational, impersonal or utilitarian force. Connecting science to emotional intelligence, common sense and cultural sensibilities can forge new bonds with society and restore trust. It is also important to go beyond a superficial opposition between tradition and science. Taking into account human intuition, technical skills, neglected disciplines and indigenous knowledge are all means of enriching science and broadening our knowledge base.
This year’s host country, Japan, has integrated scientific and traditional perspectives for over 150 years, and is therefore an inspiration to the global community to contribute to the continued revitalization of science. Science and research are important for fostering innovation and economic growth, but can also unleash curiosity, inspire action and help give meaning to the world. Only by harmonizing reason with sensibility will the future be truly inclusive and sustainable.
