The UK Young Academy (UKYA) is a national interdisciplinary membership organisation that brings together UK-based early career researchers, professionals and innovators from a wide range of sectors, enabling them to collaborate to make a positive difference in the UK and globally. Its work programmes include member-led activities and initiatives that work to address the challenges the world is facing at a national and international level.^[2][3]

The Royal Society launched the academy in June 2022, in collaboration with seven senior partner academies across the UK and Ireland.^[4] The Royal Society solicited applications for membership.^[5] These academies are:

• The Royal Society^[6]
• The British Academy^[7]

• The Academy of Medical Sciences^[8]
• The Learned Society of Wales^[9]
• The Royal Academy of Engineering^[10]
• The Royal Irish Academy^[11]
• The Royal Society of Edinburgh^[12]

It is currently operating under the auspices of the Royal Society in first instance. It joins the global initiative of Young Academies, with the UK Young Academy becoming the 50th to join the movement. Its founding cohort of 67 members started in January 2023.^[13][14] The second cohort of 32 were announced in March 2024.^[15] Membership is free, through a competitive selection process, and lasts for five-year terms.^[16]

An Executive Group, comprising elected representatives of the membership, forms the leadership team and is responsible for working with the members to implement the Young Academy’s strategy and work programmes. The Executive Group seven members, announced in 2023, are:^[17][18]

• Jahangir Alom, Barts Health NHS Trust
• Michael Berthaume, King's College London
• Denis Newman-Griffis, University of Sheffield
• Linda Oyama, Queen's University Belfast
• Edward Pyzer-Knapp, IBM
• Catarina Vicente, University of Oxford
• Amy Vincent, Newcastle University

• Global Young Academy
• World Association of Young Scientists
• Young Academy of Europe
• Young Academy of Scotland