The Social Psychology Ambassadorship Grant, a recent initiative by the EASP, was designed to support social psychological research in European regions facing challenges such as a less developed academic infrastructure or limited representation of social psychology topics. With the support of the management of the Institute of Social Sciences CSPS Slovak Academy of Sciences, located in the eastern part of Slovakia in Košice, I applied for this grant during my time as a PhD student. At that point, I was in the final stages of my doctoral studies, focusing on the topic of hate speech, primarily explored at the local level.

EASP representation in Slovakia. The very first EASP small meeting was held in Slovakia as early as 1992. Despite Slovakia's historical engagement with the European Association of Social Psychology, there have been limited participation and grant applications in recent years. Therefore, my initial efforts focused on enhancing engagement. In a collaborative effort with colleagues in the field of social psychology, as a joint activity within the Marija Branković ambassadorship project, we presented the mission of the European Association of Social Psychology at a local conference. Together, we delved into the reasons behind the underrepresentation of social psychology researchers from Slovakia within the EASP, as outlined in the report by Marija Branković. 

Excitingly, the good news to share is that the EASP Summer School 2024 will take place in Košice. This presents a great chance for Slovak researchers to get involved and contribute to the EASP community. The hope is that such initiatives will enhance collaboration and make a lasting impact on the involvement of Slovakian researchers in the EASP. 

Research on hate speech/migration. My role as an ambassador has provided a unique opportunity to establish valuable connections with researchers across diverse regions. These collaborations extend from well-established areas such as the UK and North America to lessrepresented regions including Croatia, Serbia, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine. As part of these efforts, we organized focus groups with Ukrainian refugees to explore discrimination and hate speech experiences. These initiatives also aimed to foster collaboration between the Czech and Slovak Academy of Sciences. The overarching objective has been to expand knowledge in the field, aligning with the grant's mission to support social psychology research in less-explored territories. 

A brief research visit to Belfast facilitated my ongoing work on hate speech experiences among Eastern European communities in Northern Ireland. I had the opportunity to present my research on "Populism and Public Attitudes Towards Ukrainian Refugees" at the International Academic Conference on Education, Humanities, and Social Sciences in Boston, USA. In alignment with the Visegrad grant scheme, I also submitted a project proposal in collaboration with countries in the Visegrad region and Ukraine. The project, titled 'Challenges Faced by Ukrainian Refugees in Secondary Cities in the CEE Region: Promoting Inclusion and Social Cohesion through Inclusive Public Spaces' aimed to address pertinent issues in the region. 

Community Building. As an early career researcher, I've come to understand that being an ambassador is mostly about working together as a team. The Belgrade meeting, led by Marija Branković (the 2nd appointed ambassador), was enlightening. Representatives from 8 countries discussed how to enhance social psychological research in European regions with less developed academic setups. It was evident that early career researchers face challenges in integrating into the global research community. 

Following the Belgrade meeting and discussions at the EASP General Meeting in Krakow, the 'Regional Meeting of PhD Students, Postdocs, and Early Career Researchers' took place in Košice, Slovakia. Early career researchers from 7 countries participated, demonstrating their commitment to advancing psychology research in Central and Eastern Europe. We also emphasized the importance of collaboration, open science, and responsible research practices. During the meeting, we exchanged ideas on supporting early career researchers, addressing their unique needs, and promoting collaboration.

Discussions also covered diversity and inclusion in the EASP and Social psychology, highlighting the vital role early career researchers play in including marginalized voices. The Regional Meeting concluded with a strong commitment to advancing the interests of early career researchers in EASP, focusing on collaboration for grants and initiatives that benefit the research community, not just in Central and Eastern Europe but beyond.

On behalf of our initiative, we propose recognizing the imperative to bolster inclusivity and representation by forming an Early Career Committee within the European Association of Social Psychology. This committee aims to fill an organizational gap, as EASP currently lacks a dedicated structure for early career researchers (ECRs), setting it apart from organizations of
similar scale, such as the International Society of Political Psychology (ISPP). We envision building upon EASP's commendable initiatives like the Summer School and Seedcorn grant, viewing the Early Career Committee as a natural extension of these successes. 

Our primary objectives include amplifying the voice and visibility of ECRs, irrespective of their geographical location, and creating a unified, official platform for them within EASP. The committee could serve as a hub for collaboration, fostering networking and knowledge exchange among early career researchers. Additionally, it has the potential to empower decision-making authority on matters specific to ECRs, ensuring their perspectives are integral to broader organizational decisions. By enhancing engagement and recognizing the unique needs of ECRs, the committee seeks to provide a cohesive and representative structure within EASP.

The formation of the Early Career Committee will involve soliciting nominations and applications from early career researchers across regions, ensuring a diverse and inclusive representation.

Jana Papcunová, Social Psychology Ambassador 2022/2023, represents the following initiative members:

Marija Petrović and Milica Ninković (University of Belgrade, Serbia), Ena Uzelac and Iva Kapović (University of Zagreb, Croatia), Andrej Simić (University of Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina), Yehor Hrymchak (SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poland), Simona Oľhová (Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Czechia), Nora Anna Lantos (ELTE University, Hungary), Xenia Daniela Poslon (Institute for Research in Social Communication, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia)