WOS Ambassador Programme

Historic global distribution of WOS Ambassadors

The map highlights countries where WOS ambassadors are either currently active, or have been active in the past. This illustrates our current reach and opportunities to expand into underrepresented regions.

WOS University Ambassador Programme is a unique network of persons identifying as women and non-binary who are attending university in academic institutions worldwide.

This programme supports students in their transition to early-career professionals and researchers, offering access to a global community and a safe space for development. Ambassadors are tasked with promoting participation in marine science among women and non-binary individuals. Benefits of the programme include access to professional development workshops, opportunities to represent WOS at conferences, and visibility on WOS platforms.

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are guiding pillars of the WOS mission. The marine science sector still falls short in advancing DEIA, with persistent imbalances in gender equity, cultural representation, language accessibility, and the overuse of English, as well as the dominance of Global North institutions, costs associated with participation in marine science, financial barriers to participation, neurodiversity considerations, and other systemic challenges that can limit access to ocean science careers.

In response to these challenges, WOS aims to break down barriers by ensuring regional representation and expanding country representation, with the goal of maintaining a balanced number of countries represented by WOS University Ambassadors and the long term aim of having ambassadors in every coastal country.