The NMDC Ambassador Program
Training and supporting early career researchers to engage with their research communities
@CHopeBias
Learn more about our flagship Ambassador Program. |
The NMDC Ambassador Program
The Ambassador Program utilizes a community learning approach to train and support early career researchers motivated to engage with their respective microbiome research communities and spread awareness and knowledge regarding data stewardship, metadata standards, and bioinformatics workflows. Ambassadors are also provided with a stipend to defray costs.
The NMDC is seeking applications from early career leaders for its 2023 cohort of NMDC Ambassadors who are:
- Familiar with the challenges of discovering, accessing, and reusing microbiome data
- Committed to working with the NMDC to make microbiome data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR)
- Motivated to engage with researchers in their community
Committed to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accountability (IDEA)
Eligibility
Ambassadors should meet the following criteria:
- Early career researcher
- Graduate student or a researcher with 10 years maximum of post-Ph.D. experience
- Generates and/or works with environmental microbiome data
- Works with at least one NMDC-relevant data type
- Amplicon, metagenomic, metatranscriptomic, metaproteomic, or metabolomic data
- Experience working with multi-omics data is preferred
- Willing to dedicate approximately 35 hours over the course of the year (~3 hours per month; see time commitment below)
- Affiliated with a US institution
- Does not need to be geographically based in the US
What will Ambassadors do?
Ambassadors will become official NMDC representatives and will be supported by the NMDC team throughout their one-year term. During the course of their term, Ambassadors are expected to (at minimum):
| Ambassador activity | Details |
| Contribute to training and template materials | Update content for one NMDC-provided template presentation to reflect an environment relevant to their research community |
| Engage with their research community | Host two workshops, presentations, or events: 1 event with immediate research community, 1 larger event (can be co-hosted with the NMDC and/or other Ambassadors) |
| Spread the NMDC mission | Continually share updates on FAIR microbiome data activities on any online platform (social media, website, NMDC newsletter) |
| Promote IDEA best practices | Demonstrate a continued commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accountability (IDEA) principles |
| Learn about microbiome data stewardship | Attend all NMDC trainings (see “Time Commitment”) |
The Three Ambassador Paths
The 2023 Ambassadors will have the opportunity to choose their specific path regarding the training materials they would contribute to and the events and workshops they will host. Each path and set of training materials would include background information about the topic as well as practical information about one of the NMDC products. The three paths are focused on:
- Microbiome data stewardship, data management, and the NMDC Data Portal
- Microbiome metadata standards, MIxS templates, and the NMDC Submission Portal
- Multi-omic data processing, standardized bioinformatics workflows, and NMDC EDGE
Benefits of being a NMDC Ambassador
Dedicated training
Receive dedicated training on data management, sample metadata standards, microbiome data stewardship, multi-omic data processing, and standardized bioinformatics workflows, as well as the NMDC Data Portal, the NMDC Submission Portal, and NMDC EDGE
Opportunities
Expanded professional network in a cohort-based learning environment
Access to the NMDC team members as well as the NMDC’s large and diverse network of data scientists, microbiome researchers, and multi-omics experts
Frequent virtual meetings with the other NMDC Ambassadors as well as the NMDC Champions; in-person microbiome meet-ups
Recognition for service
Co-authorship on NMDC training resources
Co-authorship on publications highlighting the Ambassador Program
Serve as an official NMDC representative
Recognition on the NMDC website and have your work continuously highlighted throughout NMDC online platforms
Support and resources
Funding to support NMDC events
Administrative and logistical support for events
Access to NMDC team members and expertise
Time Commitment
The estimated time commitment for each Ambassador is on average 3 hours per month (~35 hours total for the year). This includes ~7 hours of training sessions, ~10 hours of meetings and planning sessions, ~6 hours of workshop and presentation time, and ~12 hours of individual work time. Weekly optional drop-in office hours will also be hosted throughout the program. Ambassadors are expected to adhere to this time commitment, and researchers should not apply for the Program if they are unable to fulfill these commitments. Please note that this time commitment is an approximation, and it may vary slightly based on a variety of factors. A timeline is provided below for planning purposes:
Program Timeline
| Date | Event |
| January 9, 2023 | 2023 Program launched |
| February 7, 2023 | Application deadline |
| March 15, 2023 | Cohort announcement |
| March 21, 2023 | First Meeting |
| March 30, 2023 | Training Session 1: Data Stewardship |
| April 6, 2023 | Training Session 2: Metadata Standards & MIxS |
| April 13, 2023 | Training Session 3: Standardized Bioinformatics Workflows |
| April 21, 2023 | Training Session 4: Communications Training |
| April 26, 2023 | Workshop planning meeting |
| May 1, 2023 | Ambassador presentation of event plans |
| May 1, 2023 – November 1, 2023 | Ambassador-led smaller community event
or Ambassador-led event (Workshop or larger presentation) |
| May 1, 2023- November 1, 2023 (TBD) | Ambassador information sharing sessions |
| November 2023 | End of term |
