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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).

Program Description

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 lead 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.

Fellows will require access to a computer/laptop and should be able to join frequent virtual meetings. Fellows will also participate in professional development seminars throughout the duration of the program.

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.

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. Please review the mentor opportunities below:

1. Assessment of available emissions inventories for key air pollution sources in Africa
Dr. Evelyne Toure, Université Félix Houphouët Boigny, Côte d'Ivoire

2. Rapid review of peer-reviewed literature on air pollution and heat in Africa
Dr. Adelaide Lusambili, NextGen for Earth, Kenya

3. Mapping and assessment of air quality monitoring across Africa
Dr. Deo Okure, AirQo, Uganda and Dr. Allison Hughes, Afri-SET, Ghana

4. Assessment of long-term air quality trends in African cities
Dr. Pallavi Pant, Health Effects Institute, USA

5. Analysis of public perception of air pollution in Africa using news and social media
Dr. Melina Platas, New York University, Abu Dhabi


Eligibility

To be considered for the fellowship, 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. Please note, this opportunity is not open to postdoctoral researchers or faculty.

Evaluation Process

Applications for the fellowship program will be reviewed by members of the HEI and AfriCAN program committee. The applications will be judged based on the quality of the application, the relevance of the fellowship program to the applicant’s field of work, and the fellow’s research contributions to environmental science.

Please submit applications for the fellowship program by June 12, 2026 at 11:59 GMT.
Key Dates

Applications open: May 18, 2026
Applications close: June 12, 2026
Review of applications: July 2026
Selection of fellows: August 2026
Program start date: September 1, 2026
Program end date: March 2027

Sponsors

This fellowship program is made possible through a generous donation from the KRNmosaic Charitable Foundation whose mission is to improve global health and education.