Dr Karsten Schulz new member of the Young Academy Groningen

The Young Academy Groningen welcomes seven new members, including Dr Karsten Schulz (Campus Fryslân). The Young Academy Groningen (YAG) is a group of talented, enthusiastic and ambitious early-career researchers from various disciplines at the University of Groningen (UG) and the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG). Members share a passion for science and scholarship and its broader impacts on academia and society.

Members of the Young Academy Groningen generate and elaborate on their ideas together with researchers spanning all disciplines, forge interdisciplinary ties and set up joint projects. They contribute to scientific policy and engage in activities with the broader public. Over the past year, due to COVID-19 regulations, these activities have mainly taken place online but have nonetheless been very successful in bringing early-career researchers together to discuss ideas regarding the Rewards & Recognition programme and to explore interdisciplinary collaborations.

New member: Dr Karsten Schulz

"My name is Karsten Schulz and I am an assistant professor of Governance and Innovation at the University of Groningen Campus Fryslân. My current research focuses on the governance of climate adaptation and examines how digital technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence can support societal responses to climate change. I obtained my PhD at the Center for Development Research at the University of Bonn, Germany. I am now coordinating the new Master’s specialization in Climate Adaptation Governance at the University of Groningen.

Before I joined Campus Fryslân, I worked as a government consultant in the field of digital democracy and as a researcher for a number of international organizations and climate change-related research projects, particularly in West Africa and Southeast Asia. I am also a research fellow of the Earth System Governance Project and a member of the International Advisory Board for the Future Earth research initiative ‘Sustainability in the Digital Age’.

My main motivation for joining the Young Academy Groningen is to advance interdisciplinary collaboration in an inspiring intellectual environment, and to represent the interests of early-career researchers. During my time away from the office, I enjoy travelling and practicing martial arts as well as discovering new digital developments." 

Lustrum

This year is a special one, as the YAG is celebrating its five-year anniversary (lustrum), which also means saying farewell to the founding members who have contributed to the success and standing of the YAG since its inception. The YAG looks forward to many more years of working with the University community, the Board of the University and with other young academics in the Netherlands to represent early-career researchers, and is excited to welcome the new cohort of members. The lustrum celebration and the official appointment of the new members will take place in September 2021.