NESST Teacher Ambassador Program in North America (January 2026-May 2027)

Apply now to join the NESST Teacher Ambassador Program
  • Adult educators stand in a circle talking outside. It is golden hour.
  • A timeline of the Teacher Ambassador Program. The details of the timeline are included in the text below.

NESST Teacher Ambassador Program in North America (January 2026-May 2027)

Join A Community of Educators Working to Innovate Teaching About Complex Global Issues! 

NESST is the Network for Emergent Socio-Scientific Thinking. Housed at the Smithsonian Science Education Center, it is a global network comprised of youth, educational innovators, business leaders, STEM professionals, organizations, and communities interested in transforming STEM education for a more sustainable future. Committed to thinking differently through the lens of emergence and complexity, NESST reimagines education for life on a sustainable planet.

The virtual multi-year NESST Teacher Ambassador is designed for K-12 classroom teachers and other K-12 educators. It is ideal for STEM-curious educators of any subject who want to bring complex socio-scientific issues to their classroom, are excited to work with a network of similarly passionate educators, and are compelled by the idea of co-creating something new. Please visit the NESST webpage to learn more about the network's work: Network for Emergent Socio-Scientific Thinking (NESST) | Smithsonian Science Education Center (si.edu)

Apply to become a Teacher Ambassador by January 16, 2026! 

For additional inquiries about this program, please contact Torrey Silliman at SillimanT@si.edu. 

WHAT IS THE NETWORK FOR SOCIO-SCIENTIFIC THINKING (NESST)?

NESST is the Network for Emergent Socio-Scientific Thinking. Housed at Smithsonian Science Education Center, it is a global network comprised of youth, educational innovators, business leaders, STEM professionals, organizations, and communities interested in transforming STEM education for sustainable development. Committed to thinking differently through the lens of emergence and complexity, NESST reimagines education for life on a sustainable planet. Learn more here. 

 

WHO SHOULD APPLY TO THIS PROGRAM?

This program is designed for educators who want to integrate STEM education on complex global issues and sustainable development into their existing teacher practice. Ideal candidates:  

  • Are dedicated to investigating local and global issues through a lens of science, motivated to collaborate and innovate on education practices, and able to represent their communities and fellow teachers in a global forum. 
  • Able to commit to being a part of the program from January 2026-Winter 2027 (roughly 18 months)
  • Will dedicate up to 10 hours per month during the school year, including attending weekly hour-long meetings.  
  • Are interested in, and have the capacity/freedom to, implement new and experimental curriculum into their classrooms  
  • Are flexible in how they work, and comfortable with uncertainty, emergence and thinking differently about education 
  • Want to be a part of a community of teacher learners who are doing similar things 

 

WHY APPLY TO BE A NESST TEACHER AMBASSADOR?

Some benefits to becoming a Teacher Ambassador include:  

  • Belonging to a community of purpose along with other educators who share the same values and hopes for the future  
  • Engaging and collaborate with other educators from around the world and to bring new ways of thinking and acting for a better future to your own community 
  • Accessing resources that summarize existing research, curriculum and other best practices in the field 
  • Gaining experience with tools and resources to support your teaching and learning practice 
  • Networking with professionals in many fields, and gain additional knowledge about natural sciences, sustainability, and social science topics

  • The opportunity to become a teacher-in-residence at the Smithsonian Science Education Center 

PROGRAM TIMELINE:

January 2026-April 2026: With your Teacher Ambassador cohort, explore research and best practices, identify a Smithsonian Science for Global Goals guide that the group would like to implement with students. Implement the guide with students, continue to meet to discuss teaching practice and implementation strategies 

May 2026-July 2026: Continue learning from experts in the field, and prepare to implement a Smithsonian Science for Global Goals guide in your classroom.

August 2026-December 2026: Implement a Smithsonian Science for Global Goals guide in your classroom. Co-create a new project under the umbrella of NESST, or particiapate in existing work to deepen your own teaching practice.

 January 2027-May 2027: Mentor incoming Teacher Ambassadors, identify and implement plans for the future of the NESST Teacher Ambassador Programs.  

 

HOW DO YOU APPLY?

Complete this application form by January 16, 2026: https://forms.office.com/r/XzBymQD7kd