What is the Planetary Health Campus Ambassador Program? 

The Planetary Health Campus Ambassador (PHCA) program is a competitively-awarded leadership opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students committed to educating their campus community about planetary health. This is a year-long commitment from January to December 2020, wherein students are expected to organize 1-4 outreach activities per semester depending on the size and complexity of the activity/event. The PHCA program also includes bi-monthly mentorship with an esteemed planetary health professional and engagement with fellow Ambassadors via the Planetary Health Online Community on Hylo and other communications.
 

What are the benefits of being a Planetary Health Campus Ambassador? 

Students will have the opportunity to be recognized as “champions” of planetary health in their communities, while also developing and building their leadership and organizational skills. With the title of Planetary Health Campus Ambassador, students are empowered to make cross-cutting collaborations on their campus between various existing and emerging initiatives within the scope of planetary health, such as linking human health and environmentally oriented networks and initiatives. They will become part of a broader network of planetary health ambassadors made up of individuals from a variety of academic interests, ages, and nationalities, and will hold a key role in the Planetary Health Alliance’s Next Generation Network – including exclusive opportunities to participate at global Planetary Health Annual Meetings. Furthermore, students will be thoughtfully paired with a mentor in the planetary health field to assist in their professional development in this transdisciplinary and emerging field.

Requirements for applicants:

• - Have been on the university campus for one or more semesters

• - Organize 2-4 projects or activities on campus, depending on the scale and complexity of the event

• - Check-in with your fellow campus ambassadors frequently in our Hylo subcommunity

• - Check-in with your mentor bi-monthly and with the PHA staff team as desired
  
  
  
  

What are some of the activities students could organize?

While there are a wide range of events students could organize, some examples that have been successful include:

•  - Host planetary health themed movie screenings and discussions

• - Curate on-campus art displays/installations

• - Invite planetary health experts for a panel discussion

• - Start or bolster a planetary health student club, journal discussion group, or list-serv

• - Host a series of interactive workshops

• - Create links between existing public health and environmental/sustainability-oriented groups or initiatives on campus to implement planetary health solutions

• - Design educational campaigns around campus

• - Engage your local or global planetary health community (potentially through research projects) in planetary health education and solutions

• - Build out a planetary health website for your school or emerging club

• - Campaign for the implementation of a planetary health curricula, course materials, or centers

• - Work with the PHA to encourage your university to join the Alliance or adopt planetary health curriculum

• ... and more. Be creative!