Jaak Sikk (PhD), Lecturer in Improvisation and Open Notation at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, has been elected to the Executive Board of YASAS (Young Academies Science Advice Structure).

YASAS brings together Young Academies across Europe and contributes independent, evidence-based scientific perspectives to European Union policymaking. Working alongside SAPEA and other academy networks, YASAS helps ensure that the knowledge and perspectives of early- and mid-career researchers are represented in science advice and decision-making processes at the highest European level.

According to Sikk, the new role provides an opportunity to represent the perspectives of improvisation, artistic research, and music interpretation within the European research landscape. “Addressing today’s complex societal challenges requires not only scientific excellence, but also interdisciplinary dialogue, openness to diverse ways of generating knowledge, and the ability to listen to and understand different perspectives. I am pleased to contribute to these values through my work in improvisation and artistic research,” said Sikk.

Through its involvement in European science advice activities, YASAS helps bring the perspectives of younger researchers into discussions that inform policymaking across Europe. High-quality scientific advice can influence decisions affecting hundreds of millions of people.

Jaak Sikk is a member of the Estonian Young Academy of Sciences. His research focuses on improvisation, artistic research, self-determination, listening, and collaborative processes in conditions of uncertainty and change.