Mentoring Up and Down David Burgess Professor of Biology and Lead PI National Research Mentoring Network

Thanks  Many of the following slides are from Steve Lee, University of California Davis  Chris Pfund, Univ Wisconsin-Madison also PI of NRMN

Module #9: But There Are Solutions Mentoring and Sponsorship While mentoring is essential for leadership development, it is insufficient for advancing to top levels. Sponsorship is a more influential and specific professional relationship. Sponsorship: Is key to advancing high performers and gives them greater opportunities to excel through skill development and increased visibility. Acts as a differentiator at the top and a means to overcoming barriers for women. Provides valuable benefits to sponsors, including feedback, enhanced skills, increased knowledge of company needs and opportunities, and personal and professional satisfaction. Provides direct and indirect benefits to organizations, including better leaders and teams and increased organizational commitment.

Why Be a Good Mentor?  Achieve satisfaction  Attract good students  Stay on top of your field  Develop your professional network  Extend your contribution

Mentors Come in all Shapes and Sizes  You don’t have to be of the same race  You don’t have to be the same gender  You have to learn to listen carefully  You have to watch for unsaid concerns or hidden stress  You have to encourage, set high expectations, and make an agreement with your mentee  Everyone needs more than one mentor

Why Multiple Mentors?  Some are great for professional development  Some are disciplinary mentors  Some are role models of the same race/gender  Some are social mentors  All have different strengths and much to offer

Make an Agreement with your Mentor  Mutually agree on a schedule for appointments  Be prepared for your meetings  Develop a written action plan or a goals agenda

Make that Contract  Put goals and expectations in writing  Short term versus long term objectives  Measurable outcomes  Re-visit the contract regularly  Make sure both mentor and mentee agree to the contract and then recognize progress over time  Be honest about both successes and challenges

Recognize Challenges Facing Students of Color  Most are solo’s; especially if at a research intensive university or private college/university  What is a solo? Only one or one of few in a major or graduate program  Worse in some disciplines: sciences, math, computer science  Double minorities have it worse  Implications of being a “solo”

Recognize the Unique Challenges Facing Students of Color  Stresses of being a Solo include:  Does not know a role model of same race/gender  Increased visibility  Burden of “representing” whole group rather than being taken as an individual  Stereotype threat  Implicit bias  Exclusion from networks and social isolation  Overt and covert racism/sexism  Differences in how behaviors are viewed  Misidentification as service person or staff  Lack of knowledge of culture or community These factors effect productivity, spirit and health!

Resources  Advisor, Teacher, Role Model, Friend. On being a mentor to students in science and engineering National Academies Press.  AAAS:  MentorNet:  National Postdoc Association: oring-plans/223-nsf-mentoring-requirement