NEON Welcomes New Ambassador Cohort to Advance Ecological Research and Innovation
October 15, 2026: The National Science Foundation's National Ecological Observatory Network (NSF NEON) has announced its 2026–2028 Ambassador Cohort, bringing together nine emerging scientists and educators from research institutions across the country. These ambassadors represent expertise spanning biodiversity, forest ecology, aquatic ecosystems, artificial intelligence, remote sensing, and environmental change. Their backgrounds illustrate the extraordinary range of applications for NEON's nationwide ecological data.
For example, researchers are using machine learning to predict wildfire impacts on stream water quality, AI to analyze biodiversity, and satellite observations to better understand forest health and ecosystem dynamics. Over the next two years, the ambassadors will help expand scientific collaboration, accelerate discoveries, and translate ecological research into practical applications, public policy, and educational opportunities.
CO-LABS celebrates this new cohort and the growing impact of NSF NEON, a valued member of Colorado's federally funded research community. The U.S. National Science Foundation's National Ecological Observatory Network is a continental-scale observation facility operated by Battelle and designed to collect long-term ecological data. Read more about NEON's data and resources.
NEON's extensive observational infrastructure and openly accessible environmental data provide essential resources for scientists, businesses, and decision makers confronting challenges in agriculture, water management, wildfire resilience, and natural resource stewardship. By connecting researchers across disciplines and institutions, the Ambassador Program helps transform public investment in scientific infrastructure into new knowledge, innovative technologies, and practical solutions that benefit communities and industries nationwide.
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