Why does mentoring matter?

Why does mentoring matter?

  • Enables growth, learning, transformation, and accomplishment in education and research
  • Builds a dynamic community while fostering research growth and collaboration
  • Improves subject knowledge and communication through teaching
  • Impacts the lives of those being mentored, promoting change and growth

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What are the benefits of mentoring?

  • Enhance personal and professional knowledge while teaching and learning from a mentee
  • Obtain leadership skills by providing guidance, support, advice, strategic feedback and other insights to a mentee
  • Gain a renewed sense of purpose and/or fresh perspectives
  • Build collaborations and partnerships with students or other colleagues
  • Achieve a sense of satisfaction in contributing to research growth and sustainability

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Who can be a mentor?

  • Faculty adviser
  • Laboratory director
  • Another student
  • Another faculty member
  • Simply another person with experience

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Why does mentoring matter?

5 Steps To Mentoring Success

Following these 5 simple steps will put you on the path to mentoring success. Good luck and enjoy the journey!

Step 1: Search

How do you decide who to enter into a mentoring relationship with and how do you do it? In choosing a mentor, remember that mentoring is a multifaceted relationship. It involves a need for guidance for the mentee and the interest in and ability to provide such guidance on the part of the mentor.

Mentees

  • What do you want to research?
  • Do you have a faculty member in mind that you would like to mentor you?
  • Do you have a clear definition of the support and help you think you need?
  • Do you have the commitment to make an effort to enable the relationship to develop and function?
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Search For A Mentor

Step 2: Connect

Now that the mentoring relationship has been initiated, how do you make sure both your expectation and goals are aligned?

Mentees

  • You and your mentor should formalize research timelines, plans of action, proposals and goals.
  • You and your mentor should discuss each other’s roles, time commitment, communication style and method of supervision and oversight.
  • Establish methods of clear communication to be maintained throughout the mentoring relationship in order to make sure timeline and goals are being met.
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Step 3: Journey

You are now well on your way through your mentoring journey! Here are some tools and resources to make sure you stay on the path to a successful research mentoring experience.

Mentees

  • Conduct research in an ethical and responsible manner expected of faculty members.
  • Maintain progress and participation in the training program according to the established timeline and as discussed with your mentor.
  • Schedule regular meetings with the mentor and follow through with communication and plans.
  • Make any needed changes to your plan/proposal to work toward achieving your goals.
  • Look for additional opportunities to grow your academic and professional network.
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Step 4: Assess

Take a look back over your research experience as a mentor/mentee. Evaluate your mentor-trainee relationship, keeping in mind; the ultimate goal is the promotion and development of a productive, independent, and responsible researcher.

Mentees

  • Were the research goals met? If not, why?
  • Have you assessed your personal growth as a result of your participation in this relationship?
  • How has this relationship impacted you personally and professionally?
  • Will there be continued opportunities to remain in contact with the mentor?
  • Would you recommend your mentor to other students wishing to participate in a research mentorship?
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Step 5: Explore

How can you use your mentoring experiences for personal and professional development?

Mentees

  • Are there opportunities to disseminate research findings (presentations, publications)?
  • What guidance will you provide to your mentee to continue on their academic/career pathway?
  • How can you work collaboratively with your mentor and/or other collaborators to grow research efforts and the STEM pipeline?
  • What are your next steps on your academic/career pathway?
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