The 2025 OpenAQ Community Ambassador Program Is Now Accepting Applications

The OpenAQ Community Ambassador Program: Fighting Air Inequality in Your Community and Beyond

Applications are open for the 2025 OpenAQ Community Ambassador Program! This annual program supports ten emerging air quality leaders in low- and middle-income countries in developing skills to fight air inequality — the unequal access to clean air. Over nine months, Ambassadors are provided with interdisciplinary training (with a focus on using data), leadership development, and a supportive professional community to hone skills and expertise in the air quality field. Beyond the program, there are extended opportunities to collaborate and participate in OpenAQ activities.

OpenAQ aggregates and harmonizes open air quality data from across the globe onto a free open-source data platform so that anyone concerned about air quality has unfettered access to the data they need to analyze, communicate and advocate for clean air. OpenAQ facilitates collaboration across sectors and geographies so that those working with air quality data learn from each other.

As an OpenAQ Community Ambassador, you will:

• Grow leadership and technical skills to advance your work to fight air inequality
• Work on a project that uses data to tackle an air quality issue in your community
• Be provided with one to two air sensors to monitor air quality
• Connect with OpenAQ and diverse professional mentors within OpenAQ’s global network
• Serve as a key liaison between your community and OpenAQ and host one or more OpenAQ activities in your local community and/or region
• Provide key perspectives to OpenAQ that help the organization increase its contributions to your and other communities
• Be featured on the OpenAQ website and social media as an OpenAQ Community Ambassador
• Learn about diverse opportunities such as related workshops, trainings, and conferences (with potential support from OpenAQ in reviewing your application or providing a letter of support)
• Receive a $2,000 USD stipend to participate in the program

Read more about the OpenAQ Community Ambassador Program outcomes and watch presentations from previous years:

• Former ambassadors and program outcomes
• 2021 presentations
• 2023 presentations

QUALIFICATIONS:

OpenAQ Community Ambassadors are individuals who are committed to using air quality data to create positive change in the fight against air inequality over the course of the fellowship and beyond. Ambassadors must be located in a low- or middle-income country and can come from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds and work in any sector (nonprofit, public, or private).

To apply, you must be:

• An early-career professional
• Working professionally or in a volunteer capacity where using air quality data can support your work
• Dedicated to raising awareness of air pollution challenges in your local community
• Willing to lead a project, participate in all activities, and share your progress
• Comfortable presenting to and interacting with air quality decision-makers
• A resident of a low- or middle-income country as classified by the World Bank
• Comfortable engaging in the English language
• Familiar with the OpenAQ Platform (a plus, but not a prerequisite)
• Committed to working with OpenAQ and your fellow ambassadors in a collaborative virtual environment across multiple time zones
• Interested in maintaining ongoing mutual relationships with OpenAQ and your fellow ambassadors after the close of the program
• Able to commit at least 200 hours over the course of the program, with an average time commitment of 5–8 hours per week

Please note that we will give higher priority to countries where we have NOT selected community ambassadors before. To see the countries of origin of previous ambassadors, see https://openaq.org/about/initiatives/community-ambassadors.

Please note that this program is NOT for atmospheric researchers or scientists working within universities.

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How to apply:

1. Prepare a resume or CV, no longer than two pages (one page front and back) (filename format: “Name_Country_Resume”)
2. Prepare a two-page Statement of Interest that answers the following questions (filename format: “Name_Country_Statement of Interest”):

• Why are you interested in becoming an OpenAQ Community Ambassador?
• Describe a social and/or environmental initiative in your community that you have led and what impact it has had.
• Describe a particular air quality challenge that your community is facing. How might participating in this program help you to tackle this challenge?
• What specific things do you hope to learn and achieve from participating in the program?
• What life skills and/or professional experiences can you share with other Ambassadors in the cohort? Feel free to be creative!

3. Answer a few identifying questions and upload the materials described above here: https://link.openaq.org/2025AmbassadorApp, which redirects you to a JotForm website. Only applications submitted through the JotForm will be accepted.

Applications open: November 25, 2024

Applications close: January 13, 2025

If you have any questions about the program or have any accessibility needs, please contact Colleen Rosales, Strategic Partnerships Director, at colleen@openaq.org.