N/A - NYAS

The Leon Levy Scholarships in Neuroscience (LLSN)

Overview

Scholarship Details

Terms of Appointment

Selected Scholars must dedicate 100% of research time to scientific research projects unless they have a clinical obligation, in which case, they may spend up to 20% of the time on clinical obligations.

Stipend & Benefits

The Leon Levy Scholarship is a three (3)-year award. Scholars will receive:

Annual stipend equals 125% of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) postdoctoral rate, according to the postdoctoral year
Fringe benefits at the host institution’s rate for postdoctoral Scholars
US$2,000 computer allowance as a one-time award
Annual supplement of up to US$10,000 to support care costs (e.g. dependent care)
Indirect support to the host institution will be allowed at the standard published rate if less than 20% and capped at 20%.
3-year Membership to The New York Academy of Sciences
Participation in a structured Mentorship Program for Leon Levy Scholars
Access to leadership and skills-building workshops through The New York Academy of Sciences
Access to the community of past and present Leon Levy Scholars and Fellows
Grant writing support

Duration

Each Scholar is expected to begin the 36-month Scholarship in September of the year in which the award is received (some remote orientation may begin before September/before arrival).
Should a Scholar depart the institution in which they were awarded the LLSN, if the new institution is eligible, the Scholarship may be transferred, otherwise, it will conclude.

Scholar Responsibilities

Attend the New Scholar Orientation
Participate in the annual Leon Levy Symposium
Attend quarterly virtual Group Seminars; Scholars are required to present a research update at a Group Seminar at least once during their tenure
Participate in Mentorship and Career Development activities (detailed below)
Engage in Scholarship-related media activities and inquiries (e.g., video interviews, magazine profile interviews, etc.) as requested
Provide an Annual Report describing research and career progress for each year of their tenure; the Final Report must summarize the research project and state final conclusions. Report templates will be provided.

Mentorship Program

All Scholars will be required to participate in a structured Mentorship Program for the duration of their Scholarship. Scholars will receive their primary scientific mentorship from their Research Advisor. In addition, Scholars will benefit from advice and mentorship from a senior scientist, referred to as a Mentor, not directly involved in the Scholars’ research. Scholars will have access to both their scientific Research Advisor and a Mentor as part of the Leon Levy Scholarships in Neuroscience Program.

An essential feature of the Scholarship program will be this opportunity to learn from and be mentored by distinguished leaders across scientific fields. In this capacity, Mentors will provide guidance on the Scholars’ postdoctoral research and in their pursuit of an independent PI role or other scientific career paths. Each Mentor will have a successful track record of mentorship and will be paired with a scholar based on mutual scientific interests.

Once Scholars are chosen, they will work with the program team to find an appropriate senior Mentor from the Academy’s membership. Once matched, the mentoring pairs are expected to meet a minimum of once every other month (in person or virtual) and will have access to prompts and activities to help guide conversations if appropriate. Mentoring pairs will complete an expectations worksheet to help define how the pair will work together. All pairs will be expected to abide by the Academy’s Code of Conduct.

Quarterly Group Seminars

Each quarter, the Academy will host a meeting of all current Scholars to discuss ideas, share research updates and success stories, identify potential collaborations and help solve problems. These seminars will include Scholar presentations, interactive discussions, and informal networking. The Academy will work closely with the Scholars – through conversations, surveys, and other methods – to design programming that meets the short-term and long-term scientific and career needs of the Scholars.

Leadership and Skills Building Opportunities

All Scholars will receive a professional membership to the Academy, providing them with free and reduced-cost access to career development events, courses, and workshops. There is no requirement for Scholars to participate. Leadership and Skills building opportunities include topics such as science communication, grant writing, Inclusive Leadership, teaching and pedagogy, and ethics. Scholars will also receive a newsletter and regular updates about these opportunities.

Leon Levy Community

The Academy maintains a robust virtual community for scientists via LinkedIn. Scholars will have the opportunity to join our LinkedIn community and have a dedicated platform to network with other Scholars.

Membership to The New York Academy of Sciences

All Scholars will receive a (3) three-year membership to the Academy. Membership provides Scholars with access to our global Member Directory, a deep archive of digital content, and access to free or significantly discounted registrations for over 100 symposia, webinars, and conferences annually.

Grant Writing Support, as needed

Scholars will have access to a grant writing professional who can consult with them on a grant and provide them with guidance.

Instructions

Program Guidelines

Important Dates

All materials must be submitted by October 17, 2025. Scholarships for the 2026 cohort of Scholars will run from September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2029.

July 2026: Scholars’ Annual Report due
August 22, 2025: Applications open for Leon Levy Scholarships
October 17, 2025: Applications close for Leon Levy Scholarships
March 2026: All applicants notified to the outcome of their application
April 2026: Leon Levy Scholars publicly announced
September 1, 2026: Leon Levy Scholarships period begins (all Scholars expected to be in residence in NYC by this date)

Applicant Eligibility

By the time of appointment on September 1, 2026, the applicant must:

Hold a doctoral degree (PhD, DPhil, MD, DDS, DVM, etc.)
Hold a full-time postdoctoral position at an eligible institution, or an institution that has obtained eligibility prior to the closing of the application period, in one of New York City’s five boroughs. Applicants must be employed by an eligible institution at the time the Scholarship begins, and should have the support of their proposed Research Advisor at the time of application.
Possess no more than three (3) years of cumulative postdoctoral experience. In other words, applicants’ doctoral degrees cannot be dated before September 1, 2023.
Conduct research in Neuroscience or one of its sub-disciplines while they hold the Leon Levy Scholarships
Be able to meet at least one of the following designated criteria at the time of appointment: be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or U.S. permanent resident (holder of a Permanent Resident Card); holder of J-1 Research Scholar status or an H-1B Temporary Employee Status visa valid for the full tenure of the Scholarship; an individual granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program; Indigenous individual exercising rights associated with the Jay Treaty of 1794; Individual granted Temporary Protected Status; Asylee; or Refugee. Conditional Visas will be considered.

There is no upper limit on the number of applicants per institution or per laboratory. Previous recipients of a Leon Levy Fellowship are not eligible to apply.

Institution Eligibility

Any accredited non-profit academic institution that is located within the five boroughs of New York City and conducts original neuroscience research is considered eligible.

Applications by Underrepresented Populations in STEM

In spite of tremendous advancements in scientific research, information, and education, opportunities are still not equally available to all. Women, persons with disabilities, and individuals identifying as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) and other groups continue to be underrepresented in STEM fields^1,2. As such, the Leon Levy Scholarships in Neuroscience Program strongly encourages applications from individuals within these demographic categories.

¹Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation: America’s Science and Technology Talent at the Crossroads. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/12984
²Pew Research Center, January 2018. “Women and Men in STEM Often at Odds Over Workplace Equity”

Application Instructions

Application Form

Required information includes the applicant’s name, title, terminal degree, email address, phone number, and sub-disciplinary category within the field of neuroscience, as well as the name, title, and contact information of the applicant’s proposed Research Advisor (i.e. Principal Investigator (P.I.), the leader of the laboratory in which the applicant is/will be employed and perform the proposed research), the name and contact information for three potential mentors, and the start date of the applicant’s first postdoctoral position.

Disciplinary Categories

Cellular & Molecular Neuroscience
Systems Neuroscience
Cognitive & Behavioral Neuroscience
Computational Neuroscience
Translational & Clinical Neuroscience
Other (applicant will be asked to provide brief description)

Curriculum Vitae

Applicants are required to submit a CV that includes:

Applicant name, current institution(s), and position title
Education and training, including doctoral and prior postdoctoral training, with names of previous research advisor(s)/mentor(s)
Employment history
Honors and awards
Peer-reviewed publications from their entire research career
Patents and patent applications, if applicable
Research grants where the applicant is named as PI or Co-I (NSF fellowship or NIH NRSA, training supplements, foundation grants, etc.)
Scientific leadership (e.g. any significant roles in the greater academic community, including major editorial responsibilities, service on external committees, conference organization, technology licensing or company start-up, public outreach activities, and institutional administrative responsibilities such as departmental or student committee)
Invited talks and lectures, if applicable

Research Proposal

The Research Proposal (maximum 1400 words, excluding references) should be accessible to another scientist working in any sub-field of neuroscience and include:

Background & Significance: Provide the rationale for the proposed research and explain any terms or information that may not be obvious to a neuroscientist outside of the applicant’s sub-field.
Aims: Describe the main goals of the proposed research project and a tentative timetable by which the applicant expects to meet those goals. The Aims should be ambitious but achievable. We are particularly interested in innovative proposals that have the potential to break new ground.
Research Plan: Applicants must present a clearly articulated plan of study or research. This should clearly link to the identified Aims and be achievable within three years. If any specialized equipment, reagents, etc. are required for the Research Plan, indicate if the applicant has access and if not, how and when that will be obtained.
Preliminary Results (not required): Describe any preliminary work and results regarding the proposed project, if available, at the time of this application submission. Clarify if these are already published or if they are unpublished findings, and if the preliminary work was done by the applicant or by someone else.
Future Directions and Impact: Include a description of how the applicant sees the proposed research project progressing in the future. Applicants need not plan to continue the particular project after the duration of the Scholarship, but they should articulate what the next steps of the project would be. Describe the impact of the work outlined in the Research Plan, on the applicant’s field, on patient health, and/or wider society.

Professional Service and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement

Applicants are required to submit an open-ended statement (maximum of 500 words) describing their outreach activities and/or professional service. Where possible, the applicants should focus on activities and services related to increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the scientific community. Topics to discuss include, but are not limited to, the following:

Teaching and Mentoring: Commitment to teaching and mentoring students, especially those of broadly diverse demographics and/or social backgrounds;
Collaboration and Leadership: Involvement or leadership in committees, task force groups, professional societies, and organizations;
Service, Engagement, and/or Outreach: A record of community engagement or outreach activities (e.g. volunteer activities, communicating science to the public, etc.);
Research: Current and/or planned research relevant to underserved populations or inequalities, or issues relevant to DEI, such as race, gender, sexuality, health disparities, human rights, educational access, ability, etc.

Career Development Plan

Description (maximum of 500 words) of the applicant’s short and long-term professional goals, identification of specific pathways or experiences necessary to achieve those goals, and an explanation of how the Leon Levy Scholarship Program will enhance the applicant’s ability to achieve the goals.

Letters of Support

Applicants are required to nominate three (3) individuals to submit a confidential Letter of Support. Letters of support will be electronically requested and submitted via the web portal to ensure confidentiality.

The letters of support should come from:

Proposed Research Advisor (1 letter). This letter should detail the applicant’s strong record of significant scientific contributions and their promise of sustained or accelerated progress in the future. The letter should also stipulate that the applicant has the necessary institutional support and approval to conduct the proposed research if granted the Scholarship. The Research Advisor must stipulate that they agree to support the applicant and research project for the full duration of the Scholarship.
Other recommenders, including previous advisors, collaborators, etc. (2 letters). This is a standard letter of recommendation speaking to the candidate’s qualifications and previous accomplishments. We recommend that applicants petition Letters of Support from individuals who are experts in the applicant’s discipline, field, or sub-field and who are intimately familiar with the applicant’s most significant and important research contributions during their scientific career.

Symposium

Scholars

Team

Contact Us

If you have any questions, contact leonlevy@nyas.org.

How to Make Your Junior Academy Application Shine

Each year we seek out passionate STEM-interested students from around the world to join our signature high school research program. Here are four smart tips that will give your application an edge.

Published April 19, 2024

By Kaitlin Green

Through the Junior Academy of The New York Academy of Sciences, high school students ages 13-17 develop research, innovation, and collaboration skills. They leverage these skills to compete in Innovation Challenges sponsored by industry-leading companies, where they work under the guidance of a STEM professional. In order to participate, students must have access to a computer, phone or tablet, an internet connection, and a global mindset, as Junior Academy teams are composed of a cohort of students from different countries all over the world.

It’s a very unqiue STEM learning experience, and every year, we seek out passionate high school students interested in STEM to join. If you’re a student who wants to apply, keep these tips in mind for how to make your application shine.

Tip #1: Be thoughtful about your answers to the essay questions.

The Junior Academy is looking for what makes you unique. Is there something that makes you stand out in school or extracurricular activities?

When writing your responses, be clear and concise. You only have 500 words to complete each question; but if you can get your point across in fewer words, don’t feel like you have to use all the space. Proofread your answers carefully. Ask a friend or family member to read your answers before you submit the application—they may spot an error you missed.

Tip #2: Talk about the personal challenges you’ve overcome.

When you’re part of the Junior Academy, you’ll be using creative problem-solving skills. That means overcoming obstacles in your path. We’ve all faced obstacles in our lives, so tell us about a tricky situation you faced and how you handled it. For example, did you ever have a report, a test, and a project all due in the same week? If so, how did you complete them all to the best of your ability? Or, have you ever made the team after previously having been rejected? How did you regroup and succeed the second time around? Stories of perseverance and resilience are what we want to hear.

Tip #3: Show us you’re a team player.

When you work on an innovation challenge, you will collaborate on a team of two to six people. Share a time that you’ve worked with a team towards a common goal. Did you have a particular skill that you brought to the table? Let us know what it is.

Tip #4: Explain how you’ll be able to meet the time commitment.

You’ll need work with your team three to four hours a week on your challenge solution. How will you balance this with your academics, other extracurricular activities, and personal life?

Learn more about the Junior Academy.

Code of Conduct

Last Updated: December 2021

This Code of Conduct (this “Code”) applies to your participation in our Launchpad programs.

Digital citizenship is a critical component of the Programs. Our Services are continuously monitored to promote internet safety and security.

By participating in a Program as a mentor or student, you agree to the following code of conduct:

Core Values. Mentors and students will aspire to the Launchpad’score values of hard-work, integrity, respect and responsibility.
Copyright. Mentors and students will not take credit for other people’s creative work.
Cyberbullying. Online cruelty or harassment will not be tolerated. Cyberbullying and cyberharassment will result in the termination of the offender’s participation in the Programs and may be a violation of law.
Confidentiality. Mentors and students will not share details about their communications with third parties without the other’s prior express consent and, if the student is a minor, without the prior express consent of the student’s parent or legal guardian.
Communication. Mentors and students will not use offensive language or transmit offensive images to other students or mentors.
Mentor-student Meetings. In-person mentor/student meetings are prohibited, unless they occur at Academy/GSA sponsored group events.
Mentor-Student Personal Relationships. Mentors and students are strictly prohibited from establishing and engaging any form of personal relationships other than a relationship that is appropriate and strictly within the mentor-student context, either at or outside Academy/GSA sponsored group events.

Reporting Your Concerns

We strongly encourage mentors and students to report violations of this Code via the concern form. Download documents below:

Guidelines for Online Communication

Think twice before posting. Posts on social media can take on a life of their own. Consider what could happen if a post becomes widely known and how that may reflect on you. Search engines can identify posts years after they are created, and comments can be forwarded or copied. If you wouldn’t say it at an event or to a member of the media, consider whether you should post it online. Even in closed groups, other Program participants may use or reuse your information or posts in ways you can’t anticipate, so please keep this in mind before posting.
Be respectful. Understand that content contributed to social media sites may encourage comments or discussion of opposing ideas. Responses should be considered carefully before posting.
Strive for accuracy. Always try to get the facts straight before posting on social media.
Identify your views as your own. While you may be affiliated with a Launchpad Program, such as the Junior Academy, or other organizations in some way, you should refrain from speaking on social media on behalf of any person or organization except yourself or making statements that could be perceived as speaking on behalf of others.
Protect your identity. We strongly recommend that you avoid publishing the kind of personal information, such as your home address, telephone numbers, email address, or credit card or social security numbers, that could be used by identity thieves or to harass or defraud you. You may not post any personal information on the Launchpad website about anyone who is under 13 years old, and if you are under 13 years old you may not use the LaunchPad website.

This Code of Conduct is a part of, and incorporated by reference in, our Terms of Use. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Code have the meanings assigned to them in our Terms of Use.

Academy in the News

Academy Coverage in External Media

Academy events, publications and staff experts featured in external media.

NOV. 14, 2025
Why Do Dogs Let Out That Long, Disappointed Sigh?
Discover Magazine
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OCT. 1, 2025
Science Needs a New Social Compact
Project Syndicate
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SEP. 1, 2025
Leopards may have feasted on our earliest ancestors
Popular Science
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AUG. 31, 2025
11 Best After-School STEM Programs for Middle School Students
Lumiere Education
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AUG. 28, 2025
Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar S. Named to the 2025 TIME 100 AI List
Cognizant – News Announcements
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AUG. 21, 2025
Probing the Pain: Katie Burns is helping uncover the role of the immune system in endometriosis
Science
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JUL. 7, 2025
People Are Using AI Chatbots to Guide Their Psychedelic Trips
WIRED
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JUN. 23, 2025
Academy Trustee, R. May Lee, Named Olin College of Engineering President
Olin College of Engineering
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APR. 24, 2025
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla sees ‘a scientific renaissance’ in the U.S. amid backdrop of political threats to the future of research
Fortune
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APR. 06, 2025
This S.F. college is rolling out the nation’s first undergrad degree in psychedelics
San Francisco Chronicle
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MAR. 04, 2025
Britain’s brightest young scientists named at Blavatnik Awards gala, each winning £100,000 (US$126,000) prize
EurekAlert
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FEB. 08, 2025
Scientists warn Trump’s $4bn funding cuts will harm US medical research
Financial Times
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FEB. 03, 2025
India’s Chandrika Tandon Bags An Award At Grammy 2025
Forbes
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DEC. 20, 2024
Harnessing Artificial Intelligence in Drug Discovery and Development
Association of Cancer Research Centers
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DEC. 10, 2024
President Grace J. Wang Receives Prestigious National Honor for Inventors
Beyond These Towers
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NOV. 22, 2024
Charting a course for science during Trump’s second term
The Hill
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NOV. 11, 2024
Chandrika Tandon thrilled and grateful to receive Grammy® nomination, her second, for “Triveni”
PR Newswire
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Combating COVID-19

Overview

From March 25th to May 6th, 2020, over 2000 young innovators from 74 different countries came together to join the fight against COVID-19. In response to the coronavirus outbreak and global shutdown, the New York Academy of Sciences invited creative problem-solvers from around the world to participate in the challenge for a chance to receive a $500 travel scholarship to attend the Global STEM Alliance Summit. The winning solution, GOvid-19, is a virtual assistant and chatbot that provides users with accurate pandemic-related information. Learn more about the winning solution and the solvers who designed them.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a pandemic in March 2020. As scientists and public health experts rush to find solutions to contain the spread, existing and emerging technologies are proving to be valuable. In fact, governments and health care facilities have increasingly turned to technology to help manage the outbreak. The rapid spread of COVID-19 has sparked alarm worldwide. Many countries are grappling with the rise in confirmed cases. It is urgent and crucial for us to discover ways to use technology to contain the outbreak and manage future public health emergencies.

Challenge

Consider the obstacles faced by governments, healthcare providers and/or patients and design a technology-based solution that can be deployed in response to combat COVID-19. The solution can be an improvement of an already existing technology or a new application. Solutions should consider the following:

Modes and rates of disease transmission
Known preventative and protective measures against COVID-19
Lack of vaccine, medication, and treatment for COVID-19
The public health system, local healthcare infrastructure, access to technology and other relevant contexts

Winners

The winning solution, GOvid-19, is a virtual assistant and chatbot that provides users with accurate pandemic-related information about government responses, emergency resources, statistics on COVID-19 while utilizing grassroots feedback, streamlining medical supply chains with blockchain and AI techniques address potential accessibility issues among the most vulnerable groups.

Overview

From May 8th to June 19th, 2020, over 250 innovators from 21 different countries worked together to develop syndromic surveillance systems that help us better understand the current pandemic and prevent future outbreaks. The New York Academy of Sciences invited solvers from around the world to participate in the challenge for a chance to win a $5,000 USD grand prize. The winning solution, SYNSYS: Tracking COVID-19 created by Esha Datanwala, is a syndromic surveillance system that uses online data to predict outbreaks. Learn more about the winning solution and the solver who designed it.

In the last two decades three new Corinaviruses have jumped from animals to humans – called the spillover effect– causing serious illness and fatalities. Scientists and researchers in various sectors are racing to develop treatments and a vaccine while also investigating fundamental questions about the virus such as the seasonality, full range of symptoms, true fatality rate, viral latency, dose response curve of the viral load, long-term immunity, mutation rate etc.

The lack of Syndromic Surveillance for Coronavirus has grossly exposed the global and local preparedness for pandemics making us vulnerable as well as putting extreme stress on our government, healthcare facilities, medical supply demands and economies.

Challenge

Using available data from the COVID-19 pandemic and/or past outbreaks of SARS and MERS (see below for some suggestions), design an innovative syndromic surveillance system that addresses the need for improved surveillance networks to better understand the threat of future waves of COVID-19 and/or future Coronavirus outbreaks.

Winners

SYNSYS is a syndromic surveillance system designed for the public & private healthcare sectors. This system uses public domain mined data from Google Trends, various social media sites, census data, and satellite data to predict outbreaks, both before they happen and while they’re happening.

Team Member: Esha Datanwala

Convergence: A Journal for Young Researchers

Submit Your Research to Convergence

Convergence: A Journal for Young Researchers by Indigo Research and The New York Academy of Sciences is dedicated to publishing high-quality, peer-reviewed academic work from young people (pre-university), exploring a wide range of subjects with a focus on work that explores the convergence of disciplines related to current and future existential risks including climate change, human rights and structural inequities.

The journal will cover the following types of submissions:

Original research from traditional and non-traditional academic methods
Commentary, Opinion and policy review
Reviews of research, popular culture and/or other relevant media
Original visual artwork including cartoons, memes,
Literary writing, poetry, personal essays and other styles that draw from literary traditions including fiction and narrative non-fiction
We are seeking qualified Academic Reviewers from a wide range of backgrounds to review manuscripts submitted to the journal. Reviewers should be academically active in the fields of Engineering, Medicine, Computer Science, Law, Politics and Policy, Advocacy, Humanities, Philosophy, Ethics and/or the Sciences. Reviewers should be comfortable reviewing work from younger writers (pre-college) and from writers who submit in a specific academic area and/or from a convergent research perspective.

Features of the Convergence Journal:

Academic Rigor: Convergence adheres to the highest academic standards, ensuring that all published work undergoes a rigorous double-blind peer-review process.
Interdisciplinary Focus: The journal encourages submissions that explore the intersection of STEM and humanities, fostering a deeper understanding of complex global challenges.
Intellectual Growth: Publishing in Convergence provides valuable experience in academic writing, research methodology, and critical thinking, equipping students with essential skills for future academic pursuits.

We invite you to explore the submission guidelines and learn more about how to get your work published in Convergence.

Contact Us

Please visit the Convergence website for more details.

Questions? Please contact convergencejournal@indigoresearch.org.

Nicholas B. Dirks

Speaking Appearances

Opinion and Op-Ed Articles

Colleges Need to Change. Trump’s Plan Would Only Make Them Worse
TIME

Science Needs a New Social Compact
Project Syndicate

Academic freedom in America is in danger
Financial Times

Who would be a university president in America right now?
Financial Times

Trump’s Assault on Universities Is a Wake-Up Call
The Atlantic

Charting a course for science during Trump’s second term
The Hill

The University in Ruins
LinkedIn Pulse

Faculty-administrator distrust is making US universities ungovernable
Times Higher Education

The End of Disenchantment and the Future of the Humanities
The Chronicle of Higher Education

Ambivalence Over AI: We Are All Prometheus Now
Undark

Higher Education’s Donor Problem
TIME

Don’t let geopolitics get in the way of scientific cooperation with China
The Hill

Campus leaders shouldn’t be judged on their political pronouncements
Times Higher Education

Why we need to build an implicit trust in science
Khaleej Times

Podcasts, Interviews, and Conferences

AI and the Future of the University | The Next Big Idea Podcast

Pasts and Futures of the Global Humanities | Global Humanities Network

The Future of Research in a Fractured World | Research Information

Blavatnik Awards Ceremony 2025 | News 13 (Israel)

The Real Impact of Political Change on Science, Research, and Academia | Karger in Conversation

Universities Under Attack | New University in Exile Consorti

The Future of AI in Higher Education and Scientific Research | Regulating AI Podcast

Trump’s War on Universities | Capitalisn’t Podcast

Future Pulse | POLITICO

Embattled University | Center for Brooklyn History

Research Integrity and Scientific Publishing | People & Science Live presented by Karger Publishers

Former Berkeley Chancellor Nick Dirks on the Rising Costs and Uses & Abuses of the University | El Podcast

The International Science Reserve and AI | Nation Radio Podcast

The Uses and Abuses of the Modern University | The Politics Guys

The Delicate Balance of Teaching and Research in Modern Academia | unSILOed Podcast

What Are Universities For? | The Commonweal Podcast

Beyond Berkeley: Lessons from a University Chancellor on the Front Lines | dotEDU

Free Speech, Controversy, and the University | Chasing Leviathan

The Uses and Abuses of the University – Where Does Higher Ed Go from Here? | The Realignment

Why American universities need to reinvent themselves in our winner-take-all age of social media and AI | Keen On

The Changing Culture of the University | The PhD Life Raft Podcast

Applying Scientific Insights to Global Challenges | When Science Speaks

Science, Truth, And Trust |The Thought Stretchers Education Podcast

Nicholas B. Dirks on the Blog

				[{"id":2731,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/ideas-insights\/blog\/marking-two-years-and-heading-toward-2050-a-letter-from-our-president\/","name":"marking-two-years-and-heading-toward-2050-a-letter-from-our-president","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Marking-Two-Years-and-Heading-Toward-2050-\u2014-A-Letter-From-Our-President-150x150.png","alt":"Researchers have a discussion while sitting at a computer."},"title":"Advancing Science for the Public Good into 2050","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/nyas_dev_admin\/"},"date":"Jun 9, 2022","dateGMT":"2022-06-09 07:38:00","modifiedDate":"2025-11-04 20:11:07","modifiedDateGMT":"2025-11-04 20:11:07","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/climate\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Climate<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/covid\/\" rel=\"category 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disciplines."},{"id":11835,"link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/ideas-insights\/blog\/the-international-science-reserve-an-ambitious-future-proofing-initiative-for-the-public-good\/","name":"the-international-science-reserve-an-ambitious-future-proofing-initiative-for-the-public-good","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/circuits-150x150.jpeg","alt":""},"title":"Future-Proofing for the Public Good","author":{"name":"The New York Academy of Sciences","link":"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/author\/cdadmin\/"},"date":"Apr 14, 2022","dateGMT":"2022-04-14 16:18:00","modifiedDate":"2025-11-04 20:12:01","modifiedDateGMT":"2025-11-04 20:12:01","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/public-health\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Public Health<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/public-health\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Public 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tag\">Climate<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"blog-highlight":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/blog-highlight\/ceo-spotlight\/' rel='blog-highlight'>CEO Spotlight<\/a>","blog-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/blog-category\/thought-leadership\/' rel='blog-category'>Thought Leadership<\/a>","feature":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/nick-dirks\/' rel='feature'>Nick Dirks<\/a>","program-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/n-a\/' rel='program-category'>N\/A<\/a>","scientific-theme":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/scientific-theme\/sustainable-planet\/' rel='scientific-theme'>Sustainable Planet<\/a>","speaker-name":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/speaker-name\/nick-dirks\/' rel='speaker-name'>Nick Dirks<\/a>"},"readTime":{"min":4,"sec":8},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Unlike the pandemic, the impact of climate change has always been a much tougher 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Partner with Us: School & Community

Our Unique Approach to Working with Teachers, Students and Families

The scientists in the Academy’s network view their job as blend of research and community outreach. Our scientists have a desire to directly engage the public to demystify science and foster science literacy, especially among young people and families. Therefore, our three signature programs — Afterschool STEM Mentoring, Scientist-in-Residence, and Family Science Nights — provide professional scientists with opportunities to do outreach that aligns with their interests as well as their professional time constraints.

Ways to Work with Us

There are several ways external organizations can become involved with our community outreach initiatives.

You can sponsor our “Chat with a Scientist” virtual event series, and even collaborate with us to plan the events using subject matter experts in your network who would like to give back to elementary and middle school age students.
We can create an Employee Engagement initiative whereby your employees with STEM expertise can be recruited as mentors in either our Afterschool STEM Mentoring Program or our Scientist-in-Residence program.
You can support our Family Science Nights as a sponsor or a host venue to hold an FSN at your school, library, or other community center location.
We can collaborate to develop a new event series aimed at younger students to spark their curiosity in STEM, or expose them to STEM careers through the eyes of working scientists.

Impact Report

Download the New York Academy of Sciences STEM Education 10-Year Impact Report, 2024.

GENERATION STEM: Empowering Scientists of the Future

Download the Report

Contact Us

To partner with us to support our School & Community Engagement programs, contact education@nyas.org.

From the Academy Blog

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rel=\"category tag\">New York City<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/ai\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Artificial Intelligence<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/education\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Education<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/new-york-city\/\" rel=\"category tag\">New York City<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"blog-highlight":"","blog-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/blog-category\/story-of-impact\/' rel='blog-category'>Story of Impact<\/a>","feature":"","program-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/learning\/' rel='program-category'>Learning<\/a><a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/scientists-in-residence\/' rel='program-category'>Scientists in Residence<\/a>","scientific-theme":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/scientific-theme\/science-in-society\/' rel='scientific-theme'>Science in Society<\/a>","speaker-name":""},"readTime":{"min":2,"sec":49},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Learn 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20:34:26","modifiedDateGMT":"2025-11-04 20:34:26","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/education\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Education<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/education\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Education<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"blog-highlight":"","blog-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/blog-category\/story-of-impact\/' rel='blog-category'>Story of Impact<\/a>","feature":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/feature\/n-a\/' rel='feature'>N\/A<\/a>","program-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/scientists-in-residence\/' rel='program-category'>Scientists in Residence<\/a>","scientific-theme":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/scientific-theme\/stem-pathways\/' rel='scientific-theme'>STEM Pathways<\/a>","speaker-name":""},"readTime":{"min":3,"sec":18},"status":"publish","excerpt":"The Academy's Scientist-in-Residence initiative aims to jumpstart student 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13:00:00","modifiedDate":"2025-10-30 19:48:45","modifiedDateGMT":"2025-10-30 19:48:45","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/education\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Education<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/category\/education\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Education<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"blog-highlight":"","blog-category":"","feature":"","program-category":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/learning\/' rel='program-category'>Learning<\/a><a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/program-category\/scientists-in-residence\/' rel='program-category'>Scientists in Residence<\/a>","scientific-theme":"<a href='https:\/\/www.nyas.org\/scientific-theme\/science-in-society\/' rel='scientific-theme'>Science in Society<\/a>","speaker-name":""},"readTime":{"min":7,"sec":8},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Dr. Meghan Groome shares the success of the Academy\u2019s Afterschool STEM Mentoring Program."}]

Action-Research on Adolescent and Young Women Nutrition

Adolescent and young women are often undernourished and overlooked and few, if any, efforts are made to educate this population about best food habits. This presents current and future risks: undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies impair their growth at the critical phase of puberty and menarche, increases the risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth, and carries an elevated risk of non-communicable diseases in future life.

However, this period is also viewed as a window of opportunity for nutrition action as it is when growing girls begin to assume adult roles and establish dietary patterns that often carry through adulthood and to their future families. While there has been progress in recognizing the nutrition plight of adolescent girls and young women in recent years, knowledge of their dietary patterns, nutrient deficiencies, or food choice motivations remains fragmentary, hampering the elaboration of effective strategies to improve their nutrition.

Funded by La Fonation Botnar, the Academy and partners carried out an Action-Research program over three years (2020-2022) in Colombia and Vietnam to document the diets of adolescent and young women (14-22 years old); identify nutrient deficits in their diets; elaborate recommendations to improve their nutritional status using locally available and affordable foods; and engage with them in incorporating those recommendations in their diets through a Social Innovation Challenge. Awards and resources were transferred to the most promising solutions to enable their implementation.

Pre/post measurements of the interventions’ impact showed significant improvement in the diets of participants. Using local foods as a point of departure proved successful in creating interest and in concretely anchoring choices that significantly and positively affected their food intake. Social media proved to be a playful and powerful means of mobilization when designed and controlled by participants. Building on concerns of importance to this population—self-image, self-esteem, peer status—was also a strong lever for behavioral change. This initiative may serve as a model for future interventions targeting this population group. In addition, it created an extensive scientific output to advance our knowledge of the problem and how it may be addressed.

Implementing Partners

World Vision/Colombia

International Center for Education and Development (CINDE). Colombia

School of Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Antioquia, Medellin Colombia

Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vietnam

National Institute of Nutrition, Vietnam

The World Food Programme, Rome

Funding Support

La Fondation Botnar

Activities

Activities undertaken by this Action-Research program in nutrition are summarized below:

24hr recalls to document the diets of adolescent and young women in one secondary city per country (Medellin in Colombia, Thai Nguyen in Vietnam);
1. Colombia reports (in Spanish)
  1. Informe mujeres adolescentes de Medellín.pdf
  2. Presentación informe mujeres adolescentes.pdf
2. Vietnam reports (in English)
  1. Vietnam presentation of survey model.pdf
  2. Descriptive Tables Vietnam survey.pdf
Comparing diets across occupations Graph.pdf
Identify nutrient deficits and elaborate recommendations using Optifood
1. Optifood Food Based Recommendations
  1. Best sets of FBRs to maximize Ca and Fe in VN.pdf
  2. Best sets of FBRs for each target group in Colombia.pdf
Engage with participants to incorporate recommendations in their diets using a Social Innovation Challenge approach.
1. Colombia
2. Vietnam
  1. Nutrition class about Ca and Fe in Vietnam.pdf
  2. SIC Vietnam.pdf
Gallery
1. Photo gallery coming soon

Resources

Scientific publications from the Adolescent and Young Women Nutrition Action-Research

The entire Action-Research process is described at length in nine peer-reviewed publications published in a Special Issue of the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.

List of papers (hyperlinks to come once published in Open Access on Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences)

Mobilizing adolescents and young women to promote healthy diets in urban settings of Colombia and Vietnam: lessons from two action-research programs. Bergeron G, Nguyen P, Restrepo-Mesa S, Correa-Guzman N, Nga L. The Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. New York, 2023
Food and nutrient intake of adolescent women in the city of Medellin, Colombia Restrepo-Mesa S, Correa Guzmán N, et al. The Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. New York, 2023
Dietary intake and occupational status among female youths of Thai Nguyen, Vietnam Mai Tran L, Nguyen P. et al. The Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. New York, 2023
Exploring the potential of meeting adolescent girls’ nutrient needs in urban Colombia using food-based recommendations. Knight F, Kuri S., et al The Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. New York, 2023
Locally relevant food-based recommendations could increase iron and calcium intake for adolescent girls in Vietnam. Gie S., Nguyen P. et al. The Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. New York, 2023
Validation of the NOVA screener for the consumption of ultra-processed foods in young women of Medellin, Colombia. Correa-Madrid MC, Correa-Guzmán N, et al. The Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. New York, 2023
Beliefs and practices of healthy eating in a group of young women in Medellin, Colombia. Balancing between the desired and the possible. Arboleda-Montoya LM, Rodríguez-Villamil N. et al. The Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. New York, 2023
Effect of an Action-Research nutrition intervention on the Global Diet Quality Score of Colombian adolescent. Correa-Guzman N, Restrepo-Mesa S. et al. The Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. New York, 2023
The Global Diet Quality Score is Associated with Higher Nutrient Adequacy and Depression, but not with Anthropometric Outcomes among Urban Vietnamese Adolescents and Youths. Nguyen P, Mai LM, et al. The Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. New York, 2023

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Scientific publications from the Adolescent and Young Women Nutrition Action-Research

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