Associate Professor named among newest members of UK Young Academy of emerging leaders

The Royal Society has named UWE Bristol’s Dr Alexandros Stratakos, Associate Professor and Principal Investigator in Sustainable Agri-Food Production, as one of the emerging leaders across the UK who are the newest members of the UK Young Academy.

The academy is an interdisciplinary network of early-career professionals and researchers working together to tackle pressing global and local challenges in society and promote lasting change.

The 42 new members come from a wide range of sectors, with backgrounds in political science, engineering, government, communications and the creative and performing industries, and more. Each member has demonstrated exceptional promise in their field while also showing a strong commitment to applying their expertise beyond their main areas of work, with a drive to engage in ways that cross traditional disciplinary boundaries and align with the aims of the UK Young Academy.

As members of the UK Young Academy, they will have the opportunity to take action on both local and global issues. Through interdisciplinary projects and working across sectors, they will bridge gaps, drive innovation, and develop the solutions needed to address critical challenges – all while advancing their professional development and contributing to a global network of Young Academies focused on achieving positive outcomes.

On being named as one of the new members of the UK Young Academy, Alexandros said: “I’m honoured to join the UK Young Academy and to contribute to such a dynamic and diverse community of changemakers. I am particularly passionate about using science and innovation to address real-world issues. I believe that inclusive collaboration, where diverse voices, perspectives and lived experiences are truly valued, is essential to achieving meaningful and lasting impact. I look forward to working across disciplines to help build a more equitable and sustainable future, both within the UK and globally.”

Speaking on behalf of the UK Young Academy Membership Selection Committee, Alistair McConnell, Assistant Professor in Computer Science at Heriot-Watt University, said: “The solutions to the world's most pressing challenges won’t come from a single field or perspective. We need to bring together expertise and insights from a range of disciplines.

“We are delighted to welcome our newest members, whose diverse backgrounds and expertise will bring fresh perspectives to the UK Young Academy. These members will have the opportunity to challenge boundaries, make new connections, and work together to develop innovative solutions to the challenges that matter most.

“As we enter our third year as an organisation, the new members will be able to contribute right from the outset. Through involvement in innovative projects, work programmes, or by ensuring that early-career voices are part of key global and local debates, they’ll be positioned to make a meaningful contribution.”

The new members took up their posts on 1 April 2025, and membership runs for five years.

The Royal Society - a Fellowship of many of the world’s most eminent scientists and the oldest scientific academy in continuous existence - is a partner academy of the UK Young Academy.