The Global Young Academy is pleased to welcome 44 new members to its ranks! All new members were inaugurated at the opening of this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 7 May 2024.
The GYA new member cohort includes representatives from 30 individual countries, from all GYA general disciplines, and includes 24 females, 19 males and 1 who prefers not to say.
The gender ratio of the GYA is now 102 female/98 male/1 non-binary. Such gender balance is a development that the GYA has been moving towards for the last few years, and is a reflection of the excellent female/non-binary applicants to the GYA.
The new members were selected by the GYA Membership Selection Committee, under the leadership of Alma Cristal Hernández Mondragón (Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico), Velia Siciliano (Italy), Praveen Kumar (Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, India), Siok Yee Chan (Universiti Sains Malaysia), and Executive Committee member Yensi Flores Bueso (University College Cork, Ireland; University of Washington in Seattle, United States).
Among other activities, the GYA acts as a facilitator and convenor for the growing global network of National Young Academies (NYAs). The GYA is therefore delighted to see that a number of new members are also members of – or in leadership positions in – their respective country’s NYA.
Each of the new members’ applications was evaluated through peer review in multiple rounds, and were scored, first and foremost, based on the excellence of their scientific research, as well as on their demonstrated societal engagement.
Welcome all to the GYA!
Associate Professor / Technology
Sultan is a Lecturer in the Business Management Department at Catholic University in Erbil. With over a decade of experience in academia, he has held various roles, including coordinator and department head positions at the Lebanese French University. He is recognized for his contributions to education and research, exemplified by his membership in the Arab-German Young Academy of Science and Humanities (AGYA) since August 2022.
Assistant Professor / Biology
Alexia is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Science of Universidad de Chile, and the Principal Investigator of the integrative neuroscience core at the Physiology Laboratory. Her main research line seeks to understand how neuronal circuits process sensory information and how neuronal coding is altered in neuropathologies. She’s a member of the Global Consortium for Chemosensory Research. She’s also strongly involved in science education and is the director and creator of the “Getting to know your brain” initiative.
Researcher / Sociology and Computational Social Sciences
Anina is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute of Criminal Law and Criminology, University of Bern. She applies her background in sociology, criminology, and computational social sciences to study social inequalities, cohesion, and resilience. Her current project examines the social networks and dynamics that led to the emergence and evolution of extremist movements in contemporary societies. She is a former fellow of Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center, as well as a Max Planck Society alumna.
Assistant Professor / Economics
Anu is an Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics at Kerala Agricultural University, India. With over a decade of research in agricultural economics, she focuses on climate change vulnerability, adaptation and food security. She is deeply involved in supervising the thesis work of postgraduate and doctoral students, nurturing the next generation of scholars in agricultural economics. She also actively engages in extension activities, liaising between farmers, university scientists, and experts.
Lecturer and Head of Dept. / Vocational Education
The head of the Community Service and Continuing Education Center Department at the University College of Applied Sciences (UCAS), Asmaa is a former Head Assistant of vocational diploma programs at UCAS. She is also a full-time English Language Lecturer in the Humanities Department. Additionally, she has vast experience in utilizing curriculum mapping and using Complex Task Approach CTA. She was Head of Committee for developing life skills curriculum for higher education universities in Palestine.
Presidential Assistant Professor / Engineering
Cesar is a Presidential Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. He has pioneered computational approaches that have greatly accelerated antibiotic discovery, yielding numerous preclinical candidates. Cesar has received over 60 major awards, has published over 130 papers including in Science, Nature Biomedical Engineering, Cell Host Microbe, and PNAS, and is an elected Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), one of the youngest ever to be inducted.
Associate Professor / Pharmaceutical Sciences
Christian recently became Head of Product Development at Memsel Inc., Texas, focusing on the development of intelligent biomaterials. With over 30 publications, several patents and a significant citation record, Christian has made substantial contributions to the field of nanotechnology and biomaterials. Additionally, Christian co-founded the D.R. Congo Young Academy of Sciences (Académie des Sciences pour les Jeunes en RDC).
Associate Professor / Psychology
Erin is an Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Academic Achievement and Well-Being at the University of Ottawa. She’s a world leader in the study of math anxiety, and has received early-career awards from the Province of Ontario (2021), the Psychonomic Society (2022), and the University of Ottawa (2021/2023). She is a sought-after speaker on the topics of academic achievement and emotional well-being, and is the author of a popular-press children’s book on math anxiety.
Instructor / Chemistry, Education & Pedagogy
A chemistry researcher and educator at the National University of Singapore, Fun also holds a Certificate in Environmental, Social, and Governance for Professionals in Banking and Finance from the Singapore Management University. Fun designed curricula aimed at enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills among lifelong learners. He has given invited talks and seminars at Stanford, the University of Cambridge, ETH Zurich, the University of Pennsylvania, Peking University, and the OECD.
Senior Scientist/ Urban Water Management
Ganbaatar is a Senior Researcher and specialist in urban water management at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in Leipzig, Germany. He studied civil engineering at the Mongolian University of Science and Technology and later did his Ph.D. at the Bauhaus Universität Weimar, Germany. Together with his colleagues in the working group “Water Sensitive Infrastructure Planning”, he focuses on finding sustainable solutions on water infrastructure planning and development in rural and urban areas.
Lecturer / Medicine and Health
Gillian Dumsile Mahumane is a Lecturer of Biopharmaceutics at the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, and a Research Support Group coordinator. She is a 2023 Jeiven/Centre for Biomedical Research Fellow, functioning as a Scientific Ambassador of the Wits Advanced Drug Delivery Platform, where she is also the Graduate Communications and Marketing Lead.
Assistant Professor / Chemical and Petrochemical Engineering
Winner of the L’Oréal UNESCO for Women in Science Young Talent 2021, and recipient of the entrepreneurship Agrytech Grants award 2021, ACT Smart Innovation Hub, Berytech, Hiba is an Arab-German Young Academy member and is currently pursuing an Executive MBA at the IÉSEG School of Management, Paris. Throughout her 8 years of experience as a faculty member at the Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Lebanon, Hiba gained significant skills in leadership/entrepreneurship, and interdisciplinary knowledge in research.
Research Fellow / Earth and Environmental Sciences
Himangana is a Research Fellow & Academic Associate at the United Nations University, Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability. She is an expert in climate change and biodiversity policy and has worked on climate adaptation, forestry, women and climate change, energy efficiency, and national GHG inventories. She also contributed to India’s Second and Third Biennial Update Reports to the UNFCCC. She has seven edited books to her credit and more than 30 research publications, including book chapters.
Associate Professor / Biology
Hussain is an Associate Professor and Head of the Healthcare Biotechnology Department at the National University of Sciences & Technology, Pakistan. He is also serving as a Visiting Professor in the College of Pharmacy at Gachon University, South Korea. Hussain received his Ph.D. in the field of Regenerative Medicine from Gachon University of Medicine and Science, South Korea. His major research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of skin tissue damage and skin aging.
Associate Professor / Electrical Engineering
Hussam is an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at Al Hussein Technical University, and an Associate Professor of Mechatronics Engineering at The University of Jordan. With a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from The Ohio State University, United States, his expertise encompasses the renewable energy, energy storage, energy efficiency, green hydrogen, and water-energy nexus. Hussam has made notable advancements in bridging academia, government, and industry, fostering innovation and facilitating green growth.
Assistant Professor / Applied Econometrics
Inayat is an Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Government and Public Policy, National University of Sciences & Technology, India. He previously worked as an ISEF Research Fellow at the Environmental Planning Research Institute, Seoul National University, South Korea. Inayat holds a Ph.D in Public Policy from the Korea Development Institute, School of Public Policy and Management, and specializes in impact evaluation of interventions for sustainable development outcomes in developing countries.
Assistant Professor / Physics
Jai is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). Prior to joining AMU, he worked as an Assistant Professor at the Centre for Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India, for more than two years. His research background involves soft condensed matter physics, non-linear optics of colloidal suspension, and liquid crystal-based applications. Jai received his B.Sc. from Agra University in 2001, and his M.Sc. in 2003 from AMU.
Senior Researcher / Supramolecular Biomaterials
João is a Senior Researcher in the Department of Chemistry and CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials at the University of Aveiro, Portugal. His research focuses on the development of bioinstructive supramolecular multicomponent biomaterials to interface with living systems. He has been invested in science communication and outreach, and in connecting, supporting and empowering early-career scientists globally in advancing their professional development.
Head of Lab / Renewable Energy
Jingyuan Xu is Head of the ZEco Thermal Lab at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany. Prior to joining KIT, Jingyuan worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge and a Research Associate at Imperial College London. Jingyuan focuses on sustainable zero-carbon energy technologies, with a particular emphasis on renewable energy and/or waste heat. Her work aims to minimize global primary-energy use and reduce CO2 emissions for a sustainable future.
Assistant Professor / Economics
Kanti is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Management, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Indonesia, and an Honorary Fellow at the Department of Management & Marketing, The University of Melbourne. Kanti completed her Master’s degree and Ph.D. at the University of Melbourne, specialising in Organisational Studies. Her research interests include public administration, gender, the future of work, and knowledge production. She is a member of the Science and Policy working group at the Indonesian Young Academy of Sciences.
Assistant Lecturer / Engineering
Kapal Dev is currently serving as Assistant Lecturer at the Munster Technological University, Ireland. He earned a Ph.D. at the Politecnico di Milano, Italy, and was recognized as an IEEE Communications Society
Europe, Middle-East & Africa Region Outstanding Young Researcher 2022 for promising research activities for the benefit of society. His research
interests include wireless communication networks, blockchain and artificial intelligence targeting applications majorly towards Industry 4.0/5.0
Researcher / Biotechnology
Lorena is a Junior Researcher at The Institute of Scientific Research and High Technology Services of Panama. Her main line of investigation involves the
biophysics of the malaria parasite Plasmodium, and she is interested in the use of optical tweezers to study the mechanical changes that the membrane of the erythrocytes infected with P. falciparum undergoes under various treatments. She also studies novel mechanisms of action of natural products against malaria and cancer.
Visiting Professor / Earth and Environmental sciences
Luisa is a Visiting Professor at the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil, where she is a member of the Graduate Council of the Master’s programme of Ecology Applied to Environmental Management. She is the President of
the Brazilian Chapter of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World, Vice President of the Brazilian Association of Ecological Science and Conservation, and Co-founder and President of the Kunhã Asé Network of Women in Science.
Doctor / Veterinary Medicine
In addition to being a Veterinary Doctor, Melina holds a Ph.D. in entomology, and has a multidisciplinary research background. She created the Colombian
Organization at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and was President of the Postdoctoral Association at North Carolina State University. In 2023, Melina created an organization of Colombian scientists, which she currently leads, and is also in the Advisory Committee of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World.
Professor / Early Childhood Education and Development
Miriam is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at University of Montreal. She holds the Canada Research Chair in Human Rights and International Reparative Justice. She is a graduate of Leiden University, Harvard Law School, and the University of Cambridge and Université de Montréal. Her work focuses on public international law, international dispute resolution, international criminal law and international human rights law.
Associate Professor / Waste Management
Mohamed is currently working as a tenured Associate Professor at Galala University, Egypt. Armed with interdisciplinary education and training, he is
a long-term scientist working on strengthening environmental management and pollution control, especially for value-added resource recovery (i.e.,
clean water, renewable energy, and nutrients) from wastewater and biomass, and addressing sanitation issues in resource-poor, developing countries.
Associate Professor / Engineering
Mohammad is an Associate Professor in the Data Science Department at Princess Sumaya University for Technology, Jordan, and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Virginia Tech, United States. His research focuses on bringing together artificial intelligence/machine learning and operations research in the areas of communications, networking, energy, healthcare, and transportation.
Professor / Political Science
Mujtaba is a Long-term Guest Professor at the Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad, Pakistan. Previously, he was a Research Scientist at the German Center for Integration and Migration Research, a Visiting Professor at the University of Muenster, Germany, a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Mannheim, Germany, and an Assistant Professor at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia. His general research interests lie at the intersection of public opinion and immigrant integration, among others.
Behavioural Scientist / Nutrition
Natisha is a Behavioural Scientist and Senior Research Specialist at the Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa. She has a Ph.D. in Public Health and is involved in interdisciplinary inclusive research, contributing to the global science vision that addresses important public health issues within the social sciences. Her niche research areas include nutrition, adolescent and child health, and health promotion. Natisha is the current Co-chair of the South African Young Academy of Science (SAYAS).
Visiting Fellow / Drama and Theatre Education
Nesrin is a Visiting Fellow and Arabic Publications Editor at the LSE Middle East Centre. Her research interests are language, arts, and politics in the Middle East with a special focus on Syria. In addition to her academic career, Nesrin is a playwright and uses arts for public engagement. Her most recent play “The Beekeeper of Aleppo” made its debut at the Nottingham Playhouse in March 2023 and subsequently toured across the United Kingdom.
Professor / Agroforestry and Environment
Noor is a Professor in the Dept. of Agroforestry and Environment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Bangladesh. Additionally, she is Head of Department of the Dept. of Environmental
Hazard and Disaster Management. She is also serving in the Department of “Agrometeorology”, funded by the World Bank and the Department of Agricultural Extension. In 2013, Noor was awarded a full scholarship by the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World.
Senior Lecturer / Computer Science
Oluwarotimi obtained a Ph.D. degree in Pattern Recognition and Intelligent Systems from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences with excellent dissertation honors and graduate awards. He is currently a Senior Lecturer at the School of Computing, University of Derby, United Kingdom. He conducts cutting-edge scientific research, investigating core factors limiting cyberphysical
systems’ practical deployment, and develops novel AI-based datadriven solutions to resolve such challenges.
Public Health Physician / Public Health
Peter is a multidisciplinary public health professional with the Ministry of Health Malaysia. He navigates the intersection of health care, policy, and research to drive impactful outcomes for marginalised and disenfranchised populations. He seeks to leverage his expertise in clinical practice, mixedmethod research, health systems strengthening, and policy formulation
to advance health equity and sustainable development. He is also a Senior Visiting Fellow with the United Nations University.
Principal Scientist / Engineering
Pooja is working as a Principal Scientist at the Central Scientific Instruments Organisation, and holds a Ph.D. in Engineering Sciences from AcSIR, New Delhi, and an M.Tech. in Nanotechnology from IIT Roorkee. Her research focuses on materials design for hydrogen production, pollutant degradation, and monitoring. She has published 84 research papers in high-impact journals, six peer-reviewed conference proceedings, edited seven books as lead editor, and published 25 book chapters.
Lecturer / Pharmacy
Reem is a registered Pharmacist, currently affiliated as a Lecturer at the College of Pharmacy at Al Kitab University, Iraq. She is the leader of the EDEN research group, with a track record of international research
collaborations, copyrights, and awards such as fellowships and excellence in publications awards from Majlis Persada Kencana, USM. Reem is passionate
about creating new educational resources that inspire scientists and students to find their gifts and improve their scientific communication abilities.
Research Assistant Professor / Nutrigenomics
Alejandra is a dedicated Research Assistant Professor at Tecnologico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey, where she leads the Core Lab Genomics. Her research has explored functional food development, nanotechnology applications, and complex biological systems with a strong commitment to advancing scientific knowledge and addressing pressing societal challenges. She is the founder of the technology-based company SERICEA and a proponent of high-impact technology transfers.
Scientific officer / Physics, Engineering
Santosh joined the 53rd batch of BARC Training School and subsequently joined the Radiochemistry Division in 2010. His research focuses on spectroscopy of photonic materials and designing light emitting materials for health, energy and environment. Santosh is the recipient of several awards, including the Fulbright Fellowship, the Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum Postdoctoral Fellowship, and the Japan Society of Promotion of Science Fellowship, among others.
Computer Scientist / Autonomous Machine Computing
Shaoshan’s background is a combination of technology, entrepreneurship, and public policy. He has published 4 textbooks, over 100 research papers, and holds over 150 patents. Shaoshan has commercially deployed autonomous micro-mobility services around the world and is a member of the ACM U.S. Technology Policy Committee and the National Academy of Public Administration’s Technology Leadership Panel Advisory Group.
Researcher / Medicine and Health
Thao is a multidisciplinary researcher with a Ph.D. in Public Health. She graduated with a Medical Doctor’s Degree in 2014 and a Master’s Degree in Preventive Medicine at Hanoi Medicine University, Vietnam, in 2018. She has worked at the General Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health for more than three years in vaccination and laboratory management,
with a focus on developing circulars and decisions related to immunization, laboratory, or epidemiology management.
Associate Professor / Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Thashree is an Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the Wits Advanced Drug Delivery Platform research unit at the Department of
Pharmacy and Pharmacology in the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS), South Africa. Her current research is focused on the molecular engineering of
precise systems for therapeutic applications, with demonstrated expertise in the fields of biomaterials and biometals. She is a recognised mentor who draws
upon modern pedagogy and innovative teaching and learning practices.
Researcher / Chemistry
Tofik received a B.Sc. degree in applied chemistry and an M.Sc. degree in analytical chemistry from Arbaminch University, Ethiopia, and Haramaya University, Ethiopia, respectively. After working as a lecturer at Haramaya University, he was admitted at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,
National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, where he was awarded his Ph.D. in physical chemistry. Currently, Tofik is an Assistant Professor and Marie Skłodowska Curie Fellow at Ca’Foscari University of Venice, Italy.
Senior Scientist / Nutritional Biochemistry
Veda is a Senior Scientist at the Division of Biochemistry, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India. She earned an undergraduate dual degree (botany & biotechnology) from Kerala University, her postgraduate degree in biotechnology from CUSAT, Kerala, and her doctorate from Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, India. She is a Team Leader of the Food Matrix Lab, with an active interest in enhancing global human health by contributing to food and nutrition research.
Associate Researcher / Mineral Process Engineering
Wilson is a Chemical Engineer who graduated with honors from the Universidad Técnica de Oruro, Bolivia. He earned a Master’s degree in Engineering Sciences and a Ph.D. in Mineral Process Engineering from the
Universidad de Antofagasta, Chile, and a Diploma in University Teaching from the Universidad de Santiago de Chile. He is currently an Associate Researcher at the Multidisciplinary Research Center Program in Telecommunications Technologies, and an Associate Professor at the Universidad Alberto Hurtado.
Lecturer / Chemistry
Yalinu is a highly motivated chemist and an enthusiastic early-career academic with experience in green chemistry research and broad teaching
experience in higher education. She is a Lecturer in Environmental Science in the School of Computing, Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of the West of Scotland, and a Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry. She actively spreads knowledge amongst people of all ages and backgrounds, and fosters mentorship with people interested in STEM.