"YSI is an amazing initiative. My career would be completely different without it."

 It was great to meet both young and top scholars in my field of interests and share ideas.

YSI is special because it empowers young scholars to engage critically with global challenges while offering a supportive, interdisciplinary community. It fosters mentorship, collaboration, and real-world impact through workshops, research projects, and networking opportunities.

I'd tell my friends that YSI isn’t just another academic initiative-it’s a dynamic space where your ideas matter, your voice is heard, and your contribution to a more equitable and sustainable world is genuinely nurtured.

 Being part of YSI community has meant joining a vibrant network of young, passionate scholars committed to shaping inclusive, sustainable futures. It offers a platform to grow intellectually, connect across disciplines, and contribute meaningfully to global conversations.

 The support and exposure I gained boosted my confidence as a researcher and reaffirmed my commitment to evidence-based, locally grounded environmental governance.

At YSI, I have found a community that has been essential to my personal, academic, and professional development. The friends I've made here are a vital part of the vibrant intellectual dialogue I now share with many scholars. I couldn’t be more grateful for all the opportunities YSI has offered me

"YSI makes a huge difference when it comes oportunities to academic progress while also building a transformative network that addresses our current economic and political challenges."

YSI has contributed immensely to my growth as a scholar. It has provided ample room for networking, collaboration with like minded young and established scholars and has exposed me to varied lines of economic thinking. The academic and international reach of the group has broadened my horizons and lens of analysis. 

Through YSI, I have organised and attended man no less than 50 eye-opening and mind-altering gatherings across the globe and online, spoken at no less than 30 of these with most presentations resulting in published pieces, met hundreds of scholars - making lasting connections with dozens, pioneered an annual departmental Bootcamp for young scholars, and edited a special issue - if YSI isn't career enriching, I don't know what else is!

At 23 years old, in 2013, I became part of YSI when just starting my career, and when YSI was also taking it's shape. I was part of the core members who rolled out the statements for values, vision and mission for this unique group of passionate, visionary young people. 

YSI not only shaped my career but also the person I am. I ended up making friends for life. I found a group of people who were eager to challenge the status quo, vocal about what was wrong in the mainstream discourse, who wanted to rebel against limited thinking frameworks. I found a home with these people. 

Whenever I would doubt my sanity as a young thinker and policy professional, I would reach out to my colleagues at YSI or connect to different working groups, engage in beyond traditional discourse and find my groove back. I value the network so much. Places, institutions, history, it is all about the people. I am so grateful to be fortunate enough to receive support to attend events, meet the people I engage with year-round, in person, feel belonged and replenish the reservoirs of energy and intellectual vigor that I miss in my daily work within the policy space in Pakistan. 

As an economist and thought leader in my own country, many of the ideas that I have discussed or explored with my YSI family, I now confidently speak about it on national television and policy circles, simply because I had a community to support me, which was way ahead of their time. I am also fortunate that I got this support system when I was very young and could have easily lost my passion and drive to push the frontiers of thought and reason beyond the mainstream.

"YSI gave me the support and motivation to continue working on my research. It is a really great."

For me as an interdisciplinary researcher, YSI does a great job of ensuring lots of different disciplines all talk and work together.

Such an inspiring space for critical dialogue and collaboration. ✨

YSI is a very strong support network for young economists and a great space to grow.

What's special about YSI is that we are people who are interested in doing research, and it doing it well, beyond the ideological and political allegiances that we have.

Walked in with slides, walked out with sharpened intent, and a community that thinks beyond borders.