The Mentoring Process Neena Schwartz Department of Neurobiology and Physiology Northwestern University Evanston IL My task on the panel is to tell you in general terms, about the process of mentoring- what it entails, how it can work and why it is important. n-schwartz@northwestern.edu

COMMUNICATION!!! The Mentoring Process COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION!!! COMMUNICATION!!! The basic process of mentoring is communication. Communication of information, questions, and answers about becoming a successful student, researcher, teacher, colleague, administrator. COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION!!!

The Mentoring Process How does it start? Usually when the potential mentee has a problem! Mentoring usually seems to start when a problem arises. But one can anticipate issues and potential crisis points and deal with them preemptively. Grad students/post-docs are in training and require help to learn how to become productive first-rate researchers. New faculty members need mentoring before the year of the tenure decision. But-- COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION!!!

Mentoring When problems appear, and the potential mentee is juggling too much work, or too many concerns a mentor should be sought. The potential mentor may just be a sounding board, but may even be able to help specifically. So communication occurs Mentee Mentor

The Mentoring Process How does it start? It can be as informal as meeting in the corridor or locker room or it can be scheduled, as between an advisor and trainee or a faculty member and a department chair. How formal is it? COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION!!!

The Mentoring Process How does it start? How formal is it? How frequently should you meet (talk)? Chair should meet untenured faculty once a quarter. For your trainees it’s a good idea to be in the lab available for informal chats, not just formal scheduled time. Weekly lab meetings are a must for reviewing data and methodology glitches. I found collecting samples at night a good way to mentor. COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION!!!

Cast Dean Department Chair (Head) Tenure ranks Tenured faculty member Untenured faculty member Research associates Post doc This is the cast of characters in academe. Downward arrow highlights authority line. When you are untenured the people above you determine your tenure and have an obligation to mentor you. Equally, you have an obligation to mentor those below you;postdocs should learn from mentoring grads & undergrads. Grad student Undergraduates Technicians “Authority” Cascade

The Mentoring Process How does it start? How formal is it? How frequently should you meet (talk)? Who can be a mentor/mentee? Theoretically anybody, but as in learning to play tennis, you learn more about the game if you seek a mentor with more experience than you have. COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION!!!

Cast Academic Ladder Dean Department Chair (Head) Tenure ranks Tenured faculty member Untenured faculty member Research associates Post doc As you climb the academic ladder you may also on occasion mentor those above you. Listen carefully to your techs and trainees. In my lab a new grad studentwas supposedly checking vag smears daily and kept reporting data. My other students never encountered her; set up a 24h watch. When she did not show they came to me. Grad student Undergraduates Technicians “Authority” Cascade

The Mentoring Process How does it start? How formal is it? How frequently should you meet (talk)? Who can be a mentor/mentee? Role of “assignments”? This is especially important for dept chairs and thesis advisors. Don’t be subtle, be explicit. Sometimes people need assignments reminding them to get their data written up and published. Visibility is important to success You need to make explicit to someone you are mentoring what expectations are for success. COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION!!!

University committees University administration There is a seamless interface in science between visibility at ones university, profl societies, publications and grants and honors. Mentoring does not stop with conversation. Senior people need to recommend young colleagues for fellowships, committees, invited talks. Grants and fellowships NIH and NSF review boards

The Mentoring Process How does it start? How formal is it? How frequently should you meet (talk)? Who can be a mentor/mentee? YES!! If there is a potential problem. Role of “assignments”? If there is a potential problem the answer is yes. If someone behaves inappropriately say something and write it down with a date. If you have tried to meet with your chair 5 times and keep getting put off, put it in writing. Should process be documented? COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION!!!

SCIENCE FIELDS Positive and negative mentoring differ among different fields. Field A is less receptive to women than Field B. Physics chem and math are unfriendly fields- the message gets across and fewer women enter and fewer succeed. Field B is more female friendly- Luckily the life sciences have been increasingly friendly Practitioners M=male Female unfriendly field Female friendly field F=female

The message is to communicate- everyone needs a hug sometimes.