R&D Ambassadors

The technological capacities that LACNIC seeks to enhance with this program include:

• Deployment of LACNIC anycast DNS servers or DNS root zone servers (+RAICES)
• Deployment of measurement platforms within a group of local ASNs or organization of deployathons for a community
• Deployment of BGP collectors at IXPs or other networks of interest
• Deployment of technologies considered critical by LACNIC: IPv6, RPKI validation, ROA creation by operators, DNS/DNSSEC adoption, etc.
• Strengthening of local technical capacities: organization of workshops, tutorials, meetings, and other local activities where LACNIC's strategic messaging can be disseminated
• Promotion of regional research activities: dissemination of our research activities and incentives to complement and/or improve these efforts

The R&D Ambassadors Program provides participants with the following benefits:

• A reserved slot on the agenda of an annual LACNIC event in 2025 for presenting the progress of their projects as R&D Ambassadors.
• Coordination and payment of accommodation, travel and per diem to attend the annual LACNIC event in 2025 (including event registration).
• Development of a personal brand for the Ambassadors.
• Showcasing the work of the ambassadors through LACNIC's institutional channels (social networks, interviews, LACNIC Blog, etc.).
• Up to US$ 2000 in funding for contracting software development services, installations, or work by third parties. This budget must be approved upon presentation of the work plan.
• Support from LACNIC's R&D Department in the planning of the Ambassadors’ activities and their implementation
• Support for the preparation of presentations and the dissemination of their work.
• Free access to two advanced courses on the LACNIC Campus.
• Training on LACNIC's goals, its functions, and the various forms of support that the organization offers.

1. Prospective participants must send a proposal for a one-year work plan (June 2024 to June 2025). This work plan must detail the activities they expect to organize during the term of the Program, along with a schedule and an execution budget not exceeding US$ 2000. These activities must be in alignment with the Program's objectives and consist of a set of technological capacity-building activities such as those mentioned in the Technological Capacities to Be Implemented section.
2. The work plan must be accompanied by the applicant's CV and highlight their background relevant to the activities included in the work plan. Applicants must also detail the resources at their disposal to execute the proposed work plan and their ability to collaborate with their local communities for the implementation of the actions needed to materialize the proposed activities.
3. The work plan must be sent in PDF format to embajadores@lacnic.net. Access the PDF with the information to apply here.

The program has been designed for individuals, not entities.

This program is open to anyone in the LACNIC community with technical expertise in the topics mentioned above and an interest in strengthening a resilient, secure, and stable Internet in the region.

Applicants must reside and conduct their activities in the territories that are part of the LACNIC service region.

Applicants must be available to complete their work plan within a one-year period from June to June. Additionally, they must have the resources needed to execute the proposed work plan and the ability to collaborate with their local communities for the implementation of the actions necessary to materialize the proposed activities.

Applications will be selected based on the submitted work plans, considering the proposed activities as well as the candidates’ background, available resources, and ability to coordinate with the local community. The feasibility of executing the work plan within the term of the Program will also be considered.

The selection process will be conducted by staff members of LACNIC's Research and Development Department. Three (3) R&D Ambassadors will be selected for the current period.

Throughout the program's duration, the selected candidates must fulfill the following obligations:

1. Participate in the general meetings organized by LACNIC within the framework of the Program.
2. Participate in the follow-up meetings with the R&D Department. At least three meetings will be organized.
3. Participate in the training activities organized by LACNIC within the framework of the Program.
4. Prepare the technical work plan proposed at the time of their application.
   
   Modifications may be accepted provided that they do not substantially change the proposed plan and/or expected results, and that such modifications are agreed jointly with LACNIC's R&D Department.
   
   
5. Present intermediate results of their work at each follow-up session.
6. Present the final results of their work in publishable written format before the May 2025 event.

Submit a document in PDF format including:

• Work plan, with the format described below
• Updated CV, highlighting the applicant's background relevant to the activities included in the work plan.

Work plan format