Deadline: June 12, 2026
Applications are open for the Future Leaders Fellowship 2026. The Africa Clean Air Network and Health Effects Institute have partnered to run a part-time, virtual fellowship program for graduate students, providing an opportunity for early-career researchers across Africa to strengthen their skills in the field of air pollution and broaden their network. The program will pair fellows with mentors to work on a specific research project. The program will support 3-4 prospective fellows for 6 months (Sept. 2026 – March 2027).
During the duration of the fellowship, fellows will be matched with a mentor based at an academic or research institution in Africa. The research topics of interest are listed below and within the formal application. Fellows can indicate research opportunities of interest as part of the application. Prospective fellows should generally have an interest or focus on research in air quality and health, air quality monitoring and modelling, or environmental and air quality policy and engagement.
Fellows will be expected to work on a tailored research project under the guidance of their mentor or project collaborators. Fellows will also work in coordination with the Africa Clean Air Network secretariat for the duration of the project. Final outcomes and deliverables will be shared at the end of the fellowship as part of a public webinar event, and additional products such as peer-reviewed publications, blogs, or policy briefs.
Mentor Opportunities
For each of the projects, fellows will work in coordination with the Africa Clean Air Network Secretariat and a mix of network partners. Fellows will be assigned a primary mentor. Review the mentor opportunities below:
- Assessment of available emissions inventories for key air pollution sources in Africa
Dr. Evelyne Toure, Université Félix Houphouët Boigny, Côte d’Ivoire - Rapid review of peer-reviewed literature on air pollution and heat in Africa
Dr. Adelaide Lusambili, NextGen for Earth, Kenya - Mapping and assessment of air quality monitoring across Africa
Dr. Deo Okure, AirQo, Uganda and Dr. Allison Hughes, Afri-SET, Ghana - Assessment of long-term air quality trends in African cities
Dr. Pallavi Pant, Health Effects Institute, USA - Analysis of public perception of air pollution in Africa using news and social media
Dr. Melina Platas, New York University, Abu Dhabi
Benefits
- Fellows will receive a fellowship award of USD $1,800 which will be paid directly to the candidate, and travel support to attend the Africa Clean Air Forum 2027.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate program (Masters or PhD) at a university/institution based in Africa.
- Applicants in a Masters program must have completed at least one full year of their respective program at the start of the fellowship program (e.g., students entering their first year of a Masters program in September 2026 are not eligible to apply).
- Applicants’ current interests must focus on one of the topics above. Note, this opportunity is not open to postdoctoral researchers or faculty.
Application
Submit applications for the fellowship program by June 12, 2026 at 11:59 GMT.
For more information, visit Future Leaders Fellowship.
