Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (W-STEM) W-STEM Mentoring Program Kick-Off Carrie Menke Fernanda Santos W-STEM steering committee

Agenda 5 minutes Welcome 10 minutes W-STEM Mentoring Program Agenda 5 minutes Welcome 10 minutes Discussing a characteristic of an effective mentoring practice 15 – 20 minutes Connecting research with experience 30 – 40 minutes Determining what you want out of your mentor relationship 20 – 30 minutes Connecting mentors and protégés Closing announcements

W-STEM Mentoring Program Goals Discuss added importance and benefits of mentoring relationships for gender minorities in STEM. Describe the characteristics of effective mentoring relationships.   Identify your goals and expectations for your mentoring relationship. Connect mentors and protégés based on feedback from survey.

Benefits of mentoring[1-5] W-STEM Mentoring Program Benefits of mentoring[1-5] Protégé benefits More career advancement Higher compensation Mentor benefits Expanded network of colleagues (current and future) The very act of mentoring may serve to effect their own transformation Everyone Retention in STEM fields Increased job satisfaction Support for work-life balance

Connecting research with experience W-STEM Mentoring Program Connecting research with experience Research: Traditional STEM environments align with male socialization characteristics that may make women feel more out of place.[1] Experience: Female Male Motivation Encouragement Challenge Group Interaction Integrated Separated Task Engagement Collaborative Competitive Vision of Success Group affiliation Individual achievement In the article “Gender-Informed Mentoring Strategies for Women Engineering Scholars: On Establishing a Caring Community”, the authors claim that socialized gender differences are particularly relevant to women’s success in STEM. They discuss traditional STEM environments (eg. promoting competition over collaboration) that align with typically male characteristics. Women, with generally different characteristics and goals, are therefore more likely to feel out of place. N. C. Chesler and M. A. Chesler, Gender-Informed Mentoring Strategies for Women Engineering Scholars: On Establishing a Caring Community, (2002). Talking Points for this: What are the characteristics of your desires work environment? Are any not currently in your STEM environment? Discuss mentoring experiences or goals that have (or would have) helped you navigate this. Table 1[1]. Outcomes of female and male socializations on characteristics and goals (adapted[3])

Connecting research with experience W-STEM Mentoring Program Connecting research with experience Research: Distributed mentorship.[1] “Mentors of both senior and junior colleagues, people inside and outside your field, via electronic media as well as personal connections” Experience: Talking Points: What is the difference between an advisor and a mentor? Do you believe more senior colleagues make the best mentors? Discuss some of the characteristics you’ve found to be important in your prior mentoring relationships.

Connecting research with experience W-STEM Mentoring Program Connecting research with experience Research: Peer Mentoring[1,4] “simultaneously builds community and de-emphasizes seniority and hierarchy…may embody a more feminist construct for promoting women in academia” Experience: Talking Points: What is the difference between an advisor and a mentor? Do you believe more senior colleagues make the best mentors? Discuss some of the characteristics you’ve found to be important in your prior mentoring relationships.

What do we mean by mentoring[5] W-STEM Mentoring Program What do we mean by mentoring[5] A mentor helps his or her mentee set goals and standards and to develop the skills necessary to succeed. It is an intentional process that is supportive, nurturing, and protective, providing orchestrated or structured experiences to facilitate growth. A mentor provides constructive criticism yet allows room for risk and failure. Through sponsorship and recognition, a mentor supports the growth and development of the mentee and bears in mind the mentee’s long-term career goals. J. E. Girves, Y. Zepeda and J. K. Gwathmey, Mentoring in a Post-Affirmative Action World, Journal of Social Issues. 61, 449-479 (2005).

Mentor Functions[5] Psychosocial Sponsorship Coaching Protection W-STEM Mentoring Program Mentor Functions[5] Career development functions Psychosocial Sponsorship Coaching Protection Challenging assignments Exposure Acceptance Counseling Colleagueship Role Modeling Career development functions: helps the protégé learn the ropes and facilitate their advancement in the organization Sponsorship: sponsoring promotions and lateral moves Coaching: coaching Protection: protecting the protégé from adverse forces Challenging assignments: providing challenging assignments Exposure: increasing the protégé’s exposure and visibility Psychosocial functions: address interpersonal aspects acceptance and confirmation: helping the protégé develop a sense of professional self counseling: providing a problem-solving and sounding board colleagueship: giving respect and support role modeling: providing identification and role modeling What do you want out of your mentor relationship? Regardless of whether you’re taking a mentor or a protégé role, think about what you have to offer and what you want to gain. (May need to chat a little about what protégés offer mentors within the mentoring relationship; relate back to earlier slide if necessary). What do you want out of your mentor relationship?

Mentor Connection Introductions Discussion of goals, do they align? W-STEM Mentoring Program Mentor Connection Introductions Discussion of goals, do they align? Plans for future meetings Reference spreadsheet Dan sent if needed Orange means the email went out for introduction, green indicated they should be there today, red they are not coming, yellow they confirmed their pairing was ok. If they did not confirm I paired them anyway and sent the email of introduction.

Closing Upcoming event in November: to be announced W-STEM Mentoring Program Closing Upcoming event in November: to be announced December: holiday party and panel on the “Academic job search for Women in STEM”

10 Myths about Mentoring1 Having a mentor is the best way to succeed. W-STEM Mentoring Program 10 Myths about Mentoring1 Having a mentor is the best way to succeed. Mentors should be older than protégés. A close, intense relationship is the best primary way to learn about one’s profession and to move up the ladder. Mentoring relationships must be long-lasting to be truly useful. A person can have only one mentor at a time. Mentoring is a one-way relationship, benefitting only the protégé. Protégé’s must be invited to be mentored by the mentor. When men mentor women, a sexual encounter is inevitable. Men are better mentors for women. The mentor always knows best.

W-STEM Mentoring Program References D. J. Dean, Getting the Most Out of Your Mentoring Relationships: A Handbook for Women in STEM Humanities, Social Science and Law, Volume 3 of Mentoring in Academia and Industry (Springer, 2009), p. 186. N. C. Chesler and M. A. Chesler, Gender-Informed Mentoring Strategies for Women Engineering Scholars: On Establishing a Caring Community, (2002). Gilligan, C., In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women’s Development, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 1982. Chandler, C., “Mentoring and Women in Academia: Reevaluating the Traditional Model,” NWSA Journal, vol. 8, 1996. J. E. Girves, Y. Zepeda and J. K. Gwathmey, Mentoring in a Post-Affirmative Action World, Journal of Social Issues. 61, 449-479 (2005).