University of Birmingham researcher in UK-wide Young Academy
The UK Young Academy is a network of early career researchers and professionals established to help tackle local and global issues and promote meaningful change.
Dr Pike is an Associate Professor in the University’s School of Chemistry and is also a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow. She works in the field of supramolecular chemistry and current work in her group focuses on developing new adaptive scaffolds for programmable sensing and drug-delivery purposes.
As part of the first cohort of 67 members, announced today (10 Jan), Dr Pike will have the opportunity to help shape the strategy and focus of this new organisation, based on areas that matter to them.
Along with their fellow members from across academia, charity organisations and the private sector, they will have the chance to inform local and global policy discussions, galvanising their skills, knowledge, and experience to find innovative solutions to the challenges facing societies now and in the future.
This is a fantastic achievement. Sarah is an inspirational young chemist and I am confident she will make important contributions to the academy in this role.
Rachel O’Reilly, Head of the School of Chemistry
The UK Young Academy has been established as an interdisciplinary collaboration with prestigious national academies: the Academy of Medical Sciences, British Academy, Learned Society of Wales, Royal Academy of Engineering, Royal Irish Academy, Royal Society of Edinburgh, and the Royal Society. It joins the global initiative of Young Academies, with the UK Young Academy becoming the 50th to join the Young Academy movement.
Professor Rachel O’Reilly, Head of the School of Chemistry, said: “I am delighted by the announcement of Dr Sarah Pike’s appointment to the UK Young Academy. This is a fantastic achievement. Sarah is an inspirational young chemist and I am confident she will make important contributions to the academy in this role.”
Professor Julia Black, President of the British Academy, said: “We are delighted to join the other Academies in launching this exciting initiative. Empowering talented and ambitious researchers in the humanities and social sciences has always been a major priority for the British Academy. The Young Academy will help harness the drive, energy and passion of the next generation, providing them with a platform to make a real difference not just in their academic fields but to the UK’s wider higher education and research sector. We wish the members of the Young Academy every success and look forward to seeing the fruits of their work.”
The successful applicants officially took up their posts on 1 January 2023, and membership runs for 5 years. It is expected that the next call for applications will open in 2023.