Physics of Life ECR Ambassadors

What is a Physics of Life Network ECR Ambassador?

The level of responsibility is up to the individual and you can indicate what you may want to get involved with within your application. Whether you want to lead a major initiative or simply help promote local activities, you can tailor the role to fit your schedule. Thanks to funding from the EPSRC PoLNET4 grant, the network is packed with resources and open to your ideas. If an idea meets grant objectives, we have the funding to back it.

​Flexible Commitment, Endless Opportunities

A Physics of Life Network ECR Ambassador is a proactive champion and leader for the UK's interdisciplinary research community. Open to everyone from PhD students up to early-established researchers, this role bridges the gap between physics and the life sciences by actively building a more connected, inclusive, and vibrant research ecosystem.
Working alongside our current ambassadors (the ECR Webinar Team) and backed by the Physics of Life Network manager, Ambassadors serve as the vital link between the central network and local institutions.

What You Can Get Involved In

​🎓 Educational Initiatives: Co-organise summer schools, training courses, and ECR online seminars.
📣 Content Creation & Marketing: Design marketing materials or launch creative media projects like science podcasts.
🌍 Conference Attendance: Travel to and attend national conferences as an official representative of the network.
🍹 Community & Networking: Host local events, workshops, and socials to bring interdisciplinary researchers together. 💡 The Bottom Line: This is a low-pressure, high-reward opportunity to use dedicated grant funding to bring your own ideas to life, boost your CV, and shape the future of the Physics of Life community.

Key Responsibilities & Core Functions 

As an Ambassador, your role is defined by three main pillars of action:

• Community Building & Representation: You will act as a visible advocate for interdisciplinary science. This includes promoting network resources, engaging with diverse researchers, and representing the Physics of Life Network at national conferences and workshops.
• Event Leadership & Training Innovation: You won't just attend events—you'll create them. Ambassadors have access to funding and managerial support to design, coordinate, and deliver local or national ECR seminars, workshops, bootcamps, and summer schools.
• Strategic Influence: You will act as the voice of your peers, providing direct feedback on ECR priorities to help shape future network initiatives, strategies, and training programmes.

Professional Benefits & Career Impact

The Ambassador programme is a powerful catalyst for both academic and non-academic career progression, offering:

• CV & Fellowship Enhancement: Gain concrete, high-level evidence of leadership, community service, outreach, and impact—essential components for competitive fellowship applications and promotions.
• Skill Amplification: Master transferable skills including project management, event planning, public speaking, science communication, and stakeholder engagement.
• Unrivalled Networking: Build lasting, cross-disciplinary collaborations with peers and senior academics spanning physics, biology, mathematics, and engineering across the UK.
• Elevated Visibility: Significantly raise your professional profile within the scientific community, opening doors to future invitations and career opportunities.

Current Ambassadors

Veronica Biga, Postdoctoral researcher, University of Manchester

Pamela Swiatlowska, Postdoctoral researcher, Imperial College London

Jan Cammann, Vice Chancellor Independent Research Fellow

Who can apply?

Any UK based ECRs (students to early established researchers) working within the remit of the network's target disciplines (Life, Physical or Clinical sciences) can apply. Applying researcher(s) should be a member of the network, to become a member, simply sign up to our newsletter.

📅 How to Apply​

If you are ready to shape the future of interdisciplinary science, fill out the application form by 15 September 2026.
To apply, please complete this short form located here: ​​https://forms.gle/946UH9yQLspdpbkP6

Selection Procedure

We are keen to hear from the ECR community and will do our very best to accommodate requests to join the Ambassador Scheme. If we receive more applications than we can accommodate, ambassadors will be selected by the project team. Please note that, as PoLNET4 runs until October 2028, we anticipate having a rolling group of ambassadors. This means there will be opportunities for new ambassadors to join as existing ambassadors choose to step down throughout the programme.