Call for two new EMB Ambassadors – Deadline 02 February 2025

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 seventh cycle will start in April 2025, 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 anywhere (note than 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. There are no nationality restrictions on applicants, 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. Ireland and Italy in 2025).

What do we expect from the EMB Ambassadors?

EMB Ambassadors should engage with EMB for a period of two years, and thus it is required that applicants have at least two years left of their PhD or post-doc positions. Engaging with the EMB Ambassador Programme requires ca. 120 hours per year. Applicants should have a high level of both written and spoken English.

EMB Ambassadors will be invited to participate in various EMB activities, including attending and participating in one or more EMB Plenary meeting(s) and/or other events or workshops. They may also have the option to participate in other external events or activities. This might include travel within Europe for a duration of two- three days, participation in online activities, and various communication activities (e.g. preparing infographics, cartoons or short video’s) to promote the recommendations of EMB publications. The EMB will fund reasonable registration fees, travel and subsistence expenses for these events and activities, and/or reasonable expenses for agreed communication outputs up to a total amount of 3,000 EUR for the duration of the two-year programme. Furthermore, the Ambassador will receive a total grant of 2,000 EUR (paid in instalments per semester, upon delivery of a report and agreed outputs, e.g. blog article, presentation, event). 

The EMB ECOP Network is growing and therefore incoming Ambassadors will be expected to help the current Ambassadors manage and develop this network and assist in organising activities and events, including the monthly ECOP Wednesdays event series, and representing the network in EMB activities and discussions.

Ambassadors will attend a training workshop to meet the members of the EMB Secretariat and the other Ambassadors, to increase their knowledge of EMB activities, the European marine policy landscape, and to gain insight into working at the science-policy interface. This workshop will be held at the EMB Offices in Ostend (Belgium) during spring/summer 2025 based on availability. The EMB will contact the selected Ambassadors to agree on the exact dates. 

Benefits for EMB Ambassadors:

The EMB Ambassador Programme creates a unique opportunity to: 

• Have regular meetings with the EMB Secretariat to find out about EMB’s latest activities and plan Ambassador activities;
• Network with senior European and international marine science and policy experts from EMB member organisations and wider stakeholder networks;
• Benefit from the mentorship programme to connect and share experience with a senior scientist from an EMB member organisation;
• Attend and participate in high-level marine science events;
• Put your intercultural, networking, project planning and professional skills in science communication projects into practice;
• Receive first-hand updates on our progress and insight into EMB’s future plans and hot policy topics;
• Help promote Ocean literacy; 
• Receive a stipend of 2,000 EUR spread over the two-year period, and a budget of 3,000 EUR for reasonable expenses within the role; 
• Create a strong community and network and interact with other ECOPs in the EMB Network;
• Be listed as an Ambassador on the EMB website and gain additional exposure for your activities and work via EMB outputs; and,
• Remain in contact with EMB as part of the EMB Ambassador Alumni Programme.

How to apply for the EMB Ambassador Programme

You can apply for the EMB Young Programme by sending the following information to info@marineboard.eu by Sunday 2 February 2025 at midnight (CET):

• Your CV;

• The completed and signed application form.

Please reference EMB Ambassador 2025 when sending in your application in the subject line. If you want more information on the specific topic you would like to work on, you can contact the EMB Secretariat via info@marineboard.eu.

The applications will be reviewed after the deadline and be in touch by the end of March 2025!

Find out more information about this opportunity here.