The 11th edition of Global Young Scientists Summit (GYSS) kick-starts in Singapore to explore various science sectors between 17 to 20 January 2023.

The Summit engaged in an insightful session from research institutes across Singapore, sharing insights into food innovation and production processes, molecular genomics, advances in medical science, and quantum technologies.

Staged at The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) GYSS 2023 will navigate through an exciting array of plenary lectures and panel discussions featuring eminent scientists including 21 Nobel laureates. 

Heng Swee Keat, Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, and Chairman of the National Research Foundation, Singapore (NRF), launched the summit.

The Global Young Scientists Summit (GYSS) witnessed an engaging discussion around next-gen DNA sequencing, potential discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope, and looking at careers beyond academia. More than 350 participants attended sessions held on-site at the Singapore University of Technology and Design. 

These young researchers from 29 different countries have the opportunity to engage with some of the top minds from around the world. With six speakers participating for the first time, these distinguished speakers include Nobel Prize winners, Fields Medal winners, Millennium Technology Prize winners, and Turing Award winners. NRF's 11th GYSS is an international multidisciplinary summit aimed at inspiring younger scientists and building a global research network by engaging with like-minded fellows and renowned scientists worldwide.

NRF Chief Executive Officer Beh Kian Teik said, “The GYSS international Summit brings the top scientific minds from around the world to Singapore, to inspire young researchers. The insights gleaned from the Summit will inspire them to grow and develop more holistically, to grow from scientific and tech leaders to entrepreneurs. The Summit also aims to support the nation’s ongoing transition towards becoming a global talent hub.”

Inspiring next-generation science leaders:

Young scientists participated in 21 lectures and four-panel discussions at SUTD and online via a live streaming platform and NRF's YouTube channel as well as sharing their work and gleaning feedback from the speakers and peers through posters presented on-site, as well as virtual presentations.

The plenary sessions and lectures discussed topics in science such as graphene research advancements, how brain processes affect health and diseases, stomach bacteria, the current state of high-performance computing, and how scientific breakthroughs have enabled human genome sequences to be faster than ever. Alison Woollard, a British biologist and Guest Speaker, spoke about the importance of Science Communications and how scientists can engage the public.

Four-panel discussions during the Summit focused on the issue surrounding, the importance of scientific communications, careers beyond academia, revolutionary tools for science, and if scientists should comment on diplomacy and society.

Dr Alison Woollard - Science Communicator, Prof Brian Kobilka - Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2012), Prof Sir David Klenerman - Millennium Technology Prize (2020), Prof Sir David MacMillan - Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2021), Prof Jack Dongarra - Turing Award (2021), and Prof John Mather - Nobel Prize in Physics (2006) were among the notable speakers.

One of the key sessions was by the Global Centre for Technology, Innovation, and Sustainable Development, a joint initiative of the Singapore Government and the United Nations Development Programme. The key discussions were around how science can contribute to solving global challenges like climate crises, the biodiversity crisis, societal inequalities, and various sustainability problems.

Image Captions: GYSS 2023 - Speech & Launch by Heng Swee Keat, Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, Chairman, National Research Foundation Singapore