The YSI Times Ed. 3 - The Latest Across Chapters
+ a few other updates
Chapter leaders across Youth STEM Initiative have been working on projects to increase exposure to STEM in their respective countries. In our last piece we covered the publication of YSI Japan’s first edition of their magazine, YSI Ignite, which was just released this past Saturday.
In this edition, we spotlight several other exciting projects and events shared recently by a few of Youth STEM Initiative’s chapters worldwide.
YSI Italy 🇮🇹
Youth STEM Initiative’s latest chapter, led by
(who is also our Head of Research), introduced to the organization the Global Research and Innovation Talks (GRIT) coordinated by YSI Researcher Rosario de Feo and Segretariato Italiano Studenti in Medicina (SISM) Nazionale—the Italian Secretariat for Medical Students.
So, what is it? GRIT is an initiative launched in Italy, aimed at promoting access to advanced knowledge and fostering international networking opportunities. This project seeks to disseminate cutting-edge scientific innovations and build a global research community through educational pathways on the most advanced methodologies. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from experts affiliated with prestigious institutions such as MIT, Harvard, Cambridge, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Stanford and so on, gaining access to high-quality educational content.
This amazing series has been going on for two weeks now since April 25, and Episodes 1-4 have already taken place (their recordings will be shared with everyone at YSI later once available, for those who missed them) and the final episode takes place on Friday, May 16 (details provided below).
The webinars cover some fascinating topics from robotic surgery to democratizing biomolecular interaction modeling, and are primarily led by professors and researchers from top Italian and American institutions.
Special thanks to the Scientific Organizing Committee, including the SISM SCOPE SCORE Team 2025, Prof. Stefano Pepe, Prof. Sabbatino Francesco, Prof. Marco Cascella, Dr. Luigi Liguori, Dott.ssa Giovanna Polcaro, Dr. Valentina Pagliara, Dr. Brigida Miranda, Dr. Cosimo Guerra, Dr. Roberto Parisi, and Sabrina Zotta, for their invaluable contribution in organizing this series and selecting top-tier research projects to share with aspiring researchers!
Visit their website for more info.
Follow YSI Italy on Instagram.
YSI Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦
Our Saudi Arabia chapter, led by Lana Almansour, unveiled their Neuroscience Seminar series: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Brain!
This seminar series entails two incredible weeks of sessions led by medical professionals, who will dive deep into the fascinating world of the brain—exploring how it works, what happens when things go wrong, and shedding light on various neurological disorders.
If you’re curious about neuroscience or passionate about understanding the mind better, then this seminar is for you. Spots are limited, so don’t miss your chance to apply now and join to learn about the brain’s secrets!
Also check out our feature below in the Al Aqeeq Magazine from the school that Lana attends:
Follow YSI Saudi Arabia on Instagram.
YSI Germany 🇩🇪
Our German chapter, led by Mark-Daniel Leupold, has just shared 15 of the top national STEM competitions to participate in in his home country of Germany.
Of course they differ by country but it's highly encouraged for everyone to look up national competitions in their respective countries. It's the best way to get validation for your work and skills to such an extent that pure research papers can't provide.
If you're from the EU or Germany in particular, check out some of the amazing competitions listed below and consider registering for them.
There are tons of these opportunities out there, so good luck and let us know if you win some medals🏅—we’d love to celebrate your achievements!
These competitions are incredibly rewarding and provide some of the best STEM learning experiences you can possibly have. So do your research and apply for those that interest you most!
You may check out the complete list here.
Follow YSI Germany on Instagram.
More updates
Now that you’re up-to-date on some of the latest from our chapters, here are a couple more exciting things to keep in mind:
Youth STEM Initiative x Research Girl Summer 2025 Independent Research Group
The Summer 2025 Independent Research Group (IRG) mentorship program, which we’re running in partnership with Research Girl, is designed for students who are ready to take the next big step in their scientific journey by pursuing an independent research project—outside the walls of a traditional academic lab. This fully remote program, which runs this summer from June to August, pairs each student with an experienced researcher who will be their mentor throughout—guiding them through the research process and offering mentorship, structure, and support for their project along the way. Whether you’re looking to write your first research paper, present your work at a virtual conference in front of a global audience, or simply test a scientific hypothesis you’ve been thinking about for years, this program is a golden chance to bring your research idea to life.
Mentor applications are up and running until May 15, and mentee applications are open until May 31.
More info—including more details about IRG, program dates, and the links to the application forms—can be found on our website.
Our next STEM Circles session
Episode 3 of STEM Circles will be on Saturday, June 7! Hosted by Lorelia Gribincea, YSI Researcher who recently joined our team from Moldova 🇲🇩
In this session, Lorelia will explore some of the most fascinating topics in neuroscience—from how the brain constructs our perception of reality and the individuality of each person (from a sensory and perceptual neuroscientific perspective) to more complex issues like the hard problem of consciousness, the reconstruction of brain developmental stages, and the role of epigenetics in shaping our brain.
🗓️ Saturday, June 7, 2025
🕣 16:00 Moldova time | 13:00 GMT
A super insightful session to better understand the science of reality and who we are by learning about the beautiful complexities of our brain and neurons 🧠
RSVP here to attend!
Thank you for reading the third edition of The YSI Times! Subscribe to our newsletter on LinkedIn and here on Substack to stay updated with everything at Youth STEM Initiative <3
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