This year, over 350 young scientists from about 35 countries will be participating in the five-day Summit, the highest number of participants in a decade. Year on year, interest in the Summit has grown on average by 10 per cent. For 2024, the number of participants from Singapore increased by nearly 70 per cent, from a steady state of 58 since 2020 to around 100 in 2024.
More Opportunities for Young Scientists
Organised by the National Research Foundation (NRF), the GYSS this year provides more opportunities for young scientists to engage with established researchers, venture capitalists, corporates, and technopreneurs. These include 16 esteemed scientists who are recipients of the Nobel Prize, Fields Medal, Millennium Prize, Turing Award and the President’s Science and Technology Award .
The Young Scientists Poster session, where young scientists share their research, has almost doubled from 60 in 2023 to 115 this year. The GYSS Young Scientists Quickfire Pitch session has broadened to accommodate 16 scientists this year, up from 10 in 2023. Additionally, there are more small group sessions, from 20 in 2023 to 28 in 2024, where young scientists can informally engage with invited scientists.
To promote the values of science and STEM education, the esteemed scientists will also be holding talks and engagements at the Nanyang Technology University (NTU), National University of Singapore (NUS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore Science Centre, SGInnovate, as well as the ‘International Science Youth Forum’ (ISYF) organised by the Hwa Chong Institution.
Noteworthy to GYSS 2024
Of the 16 invited scientists, six are speaking at the GYSS 2024 for the first time – Professor Adi Shamir, Dame Sue Black, Professor Martin Green, Sir Shankar Balasubramaniam, Professor Hugo Duminil-Copin and Professor Wang Rong. Esteemed representatives from the Technology Academy Finland (TAF) , the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings Foundation , and the Heidelberg Laureate Forum will be attending the Summit. Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of the Kingdom of Thailand will also be attending the opening ceremony and engaging with young Thai researchers.
The GYSS is the only international Summit in Asia that allows young scientists to engage closely with a wide range of esteemed scientists across multiple disciplines ranging from healthcare and therapeutics to quantum technologies, forensic science and sustainable energy solutions to computer science and engineering. It was launched on 9 January by Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies and Chairman of the NRF, Mr Heng Swee Keat.
Chief Executive Officer of the NRF, Mr Beh Kian Teik said, “Science today involves collaboration across disciplines to solve global challenges that affect us in various ways. The GYSS introduces young talents to new and innovative research ideas from different fields. Their engagements with esteemed scientists offer a unique insight into the efforts behind groundbreaking discoveries and inspire them to push boundaries in research and innovation in a world that is continually evolving.”
Please refer to Annexes A to C for quotes from speakers and participants, the complete list of speakers for GYSS 2024, and information on the Summit’s sessions.
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