Ambassador Program promotes microbiome data standards

In a recently published Nature Microbiology article, members of the National Microbiome Data Collaborative (NMDC) team have reported the impacts of their community-learning Ambassador Program. The Ambassador Program was launched by the NMDC team in April 2021 to encourage awareness and adoption of microbiome metadata standards. During the year-long term, more than 800 researchers attended 23 Ambassador-hosted events. Out of 56 applicants, 12 early-career researchers were chosen for the Program. From 2021 to 2022, NMDC team members trained the Ambassador cohort about the importance of metadata standards and how to effectively use metadata templates. The NMDC team hosted six training sessions for the Ambassadors. These sessions covered best practices in data management, metadata standards, community engagement, and effective practices to serve as community liaisons. After they were trained by the NMDC team, the Ambassadors hosted in-person and virtual events with members of the microbiome research community. Insights from these events provided the NMDC team with ideas for how to improve future iterations of the program. The 2023 cohort of the NMDC Ambassador Program has an expanded scope that focuses on multiple aspects of microbiome data stewardship, including methods for data collection, processing, and reuse. The NMDC team recruits early-career researchers on an annual basis to join the Ambassadors Program. Over time, the Ambassador Program aims to promote better use and reuse of microbiome data.

About

The National Microbiome Data Collaborative (NMDC) supports data standards, infrastructure, and community building to advance microbiome innovation and discovery. Learn more about the NMDC’s activities on our website.