Led by the Gulf Reach Institute, a new Youth Ambassador project is now underway to engage and mentor young adults from underserved and diverse backgrounds.
Youth Ambassadors will work alongside other young adults and professionals across the region. Participants will receiving training in conservation, stewardship, and science communication. They will also develop and implement a citizen science project in their local community with funding they receive from the program. Potential citizen science projects could include water quality monitoring, marine debris/nurdle monitoring, or harmful algal bloom programs. These projects give them the skills to become true ambassadors for the Gulf of Mexico.
The Youth Ambassador Program is supported by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Gulf Research Program through our Gulf Star program. Gulf Star provides funding for projects that support healthy beaches, clean waters, productive ecosystems, and thriving coastal communities. All projects in the Gulf Star Program accomplish actions identified by the Alliance’s Priority Issue Teams and Cross-Team Initiatives in the Governors’ Action Plan for Healthy and Resilient Coasts. To learn more about becoming a Gulf Star partner, contact Becky Ginn, GOMA Development Director .
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