The European Marine Board (EMB) Ambassador Programme, established in 2019, is a two-year programme aiming to increase awareness and engagement from early career scientists with current marine science-policy topics in Europe. The Ambassadors represent the opinions, attitudes, and needs of early career researchers (including those involved in the EMB Early Career Ocean Professional (ECOP) Network) in the marine science field and their perspectives are thus seen as valuable inputs to EMB activities. Through this initiative, EMB helps early career researchers to make their voices heard both within EMB’s activities and the EU policy landscape, and benefits from their unique knowledge and new ideas. Through this programme the EMB helps to create and shape the Ocean leaders of tomorrow.
Our sixth cycle will start in April 2024, and EMB is looking for two enthusiastic, engaged, and creative Ambassadors that are willing to play an important role in advocating for EMB and promoting the societal and political relevance of the marine natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and the Ocean, within their own communities, and to a wide diversity of stakeholders. Together with the current Ambassadors and recent Alumni, and with support from the EMB Secretariat, the two new Ambassadors will be free to choose how to promote the Ocean and marine sciences and to engage in EMB activities. They will also ensure the continuation of the EMB ECOP Network, by managing its current activities and finding future ways to improve ECOP engagement in the European science-policy landscape.
The EMB Ambassador Programme will:
- Challenge you to use and showcase your talent to increase general awareness of marine science and the role of EMB in its promotion and foresight;
- Enable you to get involved and create momentum around the launch of one of EMB’s strategic publications or events;
- Support you in promoting and communicating specific marine science foresight activities;
- Enable you to interact directly with scientists and decision-makers from leading European marine science and policy organisations;
- Enable you to propose and organise events and activities for the EMB ECOP Network and help to further develop the network; and
- Enable you to liaise with other Ambassadors and experts through diverse activities.
Who can apply for the EMB Ambassador Programme?
Any PhD student (with more than 2 years of PhD funding left) or post-doc researcher (with at least two years left on current contract) that is willing to use their creativity, imagination, communication, artistic talents, and interpersonal skills to help promote EMB activities and marine science in Europe. EMB Ambassadors can be stationed inside or outside the EU (note that in-person EMB activities take place in Europe, and Ambassador meetings are held at times suited to European timezones) and can have a background in any aspect related to the marine environment, including natural sciences, social sciences and humanities, policy and governance, engineering, technology, interdisciplinary research, and/or science communication. The applicant is not required to be an EU citizen however they do need to have a demonstrable link with at least one of the 38 EMB Member Organisations (e.g. you work or study at one of the organisations or are funded by them).
It should be noted that EMB aims to achieve balance within its current cohort of Ambassadors, therefore it is very unlikely that a new Ambassador would be selected who is in the same country and/or at the same institute as a currently serving Ambassador (i.e. Germany and France in 2024).