Call for Applications

The PNW Climate Ambassadors program at the University of Washington seeks to train graduate students studying climate change, its impacts, or potential responses to effectively engage with various sectors of the public. The program will train a cohort of about 10 graduate students to develop presentations on a climate-related topic of interest to a unique sector of the public that is also related to the students’ own area of expertise.

The program begins with a 2 hour introductory training in winter quarter 2025. After the training, each student will develop a presentation on a topic related to their area of expertise in consultation with the Program on Climate Change (PCC) and the Washington State Climate Office (WASCO) to be delivered in a public setting based on the many requests to PCC and WASCO from the public for talks to engage with various communities. Students will practice their talks in front of a subset of their PNW Climate Ambassadors cohort and a representative from PCC and/or WASCO. Students will be expected to refine their talks after this feedback session before delivering their public presentation. We expect students to complete the program by the end of spring quarter.

PNW Climate Ambassadors will be featured on a website hosted by the PCC. Students will earn a $100 honorarium for each public speaking engagement completed. Students who have completed the program may remain PNW Climate Ambassadors for the duration of their degree.

The PNW Climate Ambassadors program is a collaboration between  the Program on Climate Change (PCC), the Washington State Climate Office (WASCO) and the College of the Environment Communications Team. To apply, please submit a single pdf that includes both your two-page CV/resume and a one-paragraph statement of why you want to participate in this program and what you hope to learn.  Submit this application, with the subject line “PNW Ambassador Application” to uwpcc@uw.edu by Feb. 1, 2025.

Questions? Contact Miriam Bertram at uwpcc@pcc.edu.