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).

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

• Table of Content
• About Health Effects Institute (HEI)
• Future Leaders Fellowship Fellowship
• Aim and Benefits of Future Leaders Fellowship Fellowship
• Requirements for Future Leaders Fellowship Fellowship Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for Future Leaders Fellowship Fellowship
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

Future Leaders Fellowship Fellowship

Aim and Benefits of Future Leaders Fellowship Fellowship

• 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

Requirements for Future Leaders Fellowship Fellowship Qualification

• 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.
   

Interview date, Process and Venue for Future Leaders Fellowship Fellowship

• 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.

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

Check also:
Erasmus Mundus Scholarship 2027
Global Korea Scholarship 2027

Application Deadline

How to Apply

For more information, kindly visit Future Leaders Fellowship webpage.