Global Young Faculty

Global Young Faculty
Name	Global Young Faculty
Formation	21st century
Type	international network
Headquarters	Lausanne
Region served	Worldwide

Global Young Faculty

Global Young Faculty is an international network of early-career academics and research leaders that connects scholars across universities, research institutes, foundations, and multilateral organizations. It fosters cross-disciplinary collaboration among scholars affiliated with institutions such as École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Oxford, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The network engages with funding agencies, philanthropic organizations, and intergovernmental bodies like the European Research Council, National Institutes of Health, Wellcome Trust, and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Overview

The organization links scholars, clinicians, and scholars-in-residence from institutions including University of Cambridge, Yale University, Princeton University, Columbia University, University of California, Berkeley, Imperial College London, Karolinska Institutet, University of Tokyo, Peking University, and University of Toronto. It promotes translational research and academic leadership in collaboration with bodies such as World Health Organization, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, European Commission, and Swiss National Science Foundation. The network organizes symposia, workshops, and policy briefings with partners like Royal Society, National Academy of Sciences (United States), Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

History and Founding

Founded in the 21st century by emerging leaders associated with institutions such as École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, ETH Zurich, University College London, and King's College London, the network drew inspiration from initiatives like the Bilderberg Group's informal exchanges, the Fulbright Program's international scholarships, and the Nobel Prize community's global collegiality. Early meetings occurred alongside conferences at venues such as CERN, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Gordon Research Conferences, and Davos World Economic Forum sessions, with contributions from academics linked to Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Salk Institute, Max Planck Society, and Institut Pasteur.

Mission and Objectives

The stated mission emphasizes cultivating leadership among early-career scholars affiliated with universities and institutes such as Johns Hopkins University, University of Melbourne, National University of Singapore, Seoul National University, and Tsinghua University. Objectives include promoting interdisciplinary collaboration across centers like Broad Institute, Karolinska Institutet, Pasteur Institute, and Scripps Research, supporting research translation with organizations such as European Molecular Biology Laboratory, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Nature Research, and Science (journal), and shaping policy dialogues with stakeholders like OECD, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and G7 science advisors.

Programs and Activities

Activities include annual assemblies, mentorship schemes, seed grants, and thematic working groups on topics relevant to partners like UNICEF, UNESCO, European Space Agency, NASA, and International Atomic Energy Agency. Programs have convened leaders from institutions such as Brown University, Duke University, Northwestern University, University of Chicago, and University of Pennsylvania, and engaged scholars associated with journals and publishers including The Lancet, Cell Press, Nature Medicine, and PNAS. Workshops and hackathons collaborate with innovation hubs like Station F, Silicon Valley Bank, Cambridge Innovation Center, and accelerators hosted by Startupbootcamp and MassChallenge.

Membership and Selection

Membership brings together fellows and associates from a broad range of institutions including MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Riken, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Australian National University, and McGill University. Selection processes mirror practices used by organizations such as Royal Society of Canada, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, European Academy of Sciences, and the National Science Foundation fellowship schemes, featuring peer review panels, nominations by universities like Utrecht University and Leiden University, and evaluation criteria similar to those of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The network partners with universities, foundations, journals, and intergovernmental institutions including Agence Nationale de la Recherche, National Science Foundation (United States), Australian Research Council, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, European Research Council, Gates Cambridge Trust, and Rhodes Trust. Collaborative projects have intersected with global consortia such as the Human Cell Atlas, ENCODE Project, Horizon Europe, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and initiatives led by the World Economic Forum.

Impact and Recognition

Impact is reflected in joint publications with contributors from Nature, Science Advances, The Lancet Global Health, Cell, and citations by policy bodies including European Parliament, United Nations, and national ministries associated with Ministry of Health (United Kingdom), Health Canada, and Department of Health and Human Services (United States). Recognition includes invitations to participate in panels at conferences such as AAAS Annual Meeting, Society for Neuroscience, International AIDS Conference, World Congress on Public Health, and awards bestowed by organizations like Royal Society, Max Planck Society, Wellcome Trust, and national academies.

Category:Academic organizations