Early Career Liaisons Application for the 2nd Cohort

Become an Early Career Liaison to the U.S. National Committee for the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development

The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, 2021-2030 is an international effort with the mission to inspire: Transformative ocean science solutions for sustainable development, connecting people and our ocean.

The U.S. National Committee for the Ocean Decade seeks to include early career perspectives in the activities of the Committee, inspire the next generation of ocean leaders, and build interest among early career scientists in tackling the Decade’s science challenges and objectives. Other goals include furthering the development of expertise in science for a sustainable ocean, increasing diversity, equity and inclusion in ocean studies; and developing networks in the U.S. and internationally for building global capacity for ocean research.

Early career natural scientists, social scientists, engineers, resource managers, and policy specialists are encouraged to submit a statement of interest for consideration to be an early career liaison to join and contribute to committee meetings and help disseminate information about U.S. efforts during the Decade. Four early career scientists will be selected to serve as liaisons for two years.

What Does It Mean to Be an Early Career Liaison?

Early career liaisons will:

• communicate regularly with members of the U.S. National Committee for the Decade;
• participate in Committee discussions and deliberations;
• receive communications tools about the Decade’s activities; and
• may be listed as liaisons to the US National committee on the Ocean Decade US website, along with an organizational description and a contact.

We request that early career liaisons:

• agree to participate for 2 years in Committee meetings and activities;
• actively reach out to other early career scientists to encourage their engagement in Decade activities, and bring early career issues and perspectives into the Committee deliberations;
• support Ocean Decade US on social media and participate in public engagement campaigns;
• attend meetings hosted by the U.S. National Committee for the Decade
• serve as a speaker in webinars;
• give seminars about the decade in various venues (professional society meetings, early career groups, at home institution).

Criteria for Selection of Early Career Liaisons:

• No more than 10 years post receipt of undergraduate or graduate degree.
• Postgraduate training or work experience in an ocean-related field.
• Selection of liaisons will be at the sole discretion of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (the National Academies) based on a application submitted in accordance with the criteria.
• An effort will be made to select a diverse group of liaisons in terms of expertise, geographic location, employment sector, gender, and ethnicity. Preference will be given to applicants from US institutions or with a US affiliation.