The Science of Mentorship

In STEMM fields, students and professionals from marginalized populations often feel misunderstood or isolated because their identities differ from their peers. Biomedical engineer Dr. Gilda Barabino often found herself taking roles in which she was the first and only African American woman in her position. At times, it was very isolating. 

In this episode, Dr. Barabino shares how she responded to a lack of mentorship, ...

Research shows that even if marginalized students earn bachelor's degrees, they’re still less likely to receive mentoring or be retained in STEMM careers. Chemistry professor Dr. Michael Summers found himself in a position to provide effective mentoring to his students from marginalized backgrounds to guide them both in the classroom and beyond. 

In this episode, Dr. Michael Summers shares how positive mentoring experie...

Academia can be a toxic environment, especially for women and other marginalized students. Dr. Akiko Iwasaki experienced this reality both in her studies and after she earned her Ph.D. However, research shows that women and marginalized students can better integrate into academic communities when they have positive mentoring experiences, and often, multiple mentoring relationships. 

In this episode, Dr. Akiko Iwasaki te...

The most effective mentoring relationships happen when the relationship is mutually beneficial to all parties. Dr. Jedidah Isler found this as she gave and received significant support at historically black universities, and when she lacked support at predominantly white institutions. As she earned degrees in these different environments, she discovered mentoring is a necessary skill, as is knowing what you need as a mente...

Entering the academic ecosystem can be especially daunting for students with underrepresented identities. These students can face a different set of obstacles when making decisions on higher education and careers. Dr. Jim Gates faced this reality on his path to becoming a physicist. Looking back on his journey, Professor Gates understands that he couldn’t pursue his dreams without support. 

Theoretical physicist Dr. Jim...

Students’ mentoring experiences are shaped by the mentorship skills of their mentors.  However, if academic institutions lack commitment to implementing successful mentoring practices, faculty members often struggle to support their mentees. 

Biochemist Dr. Keith Yamamoto had positive mentoring experiences during his undergraduate and graduate careers where his mentors consistently guided and helped him develop independ...

In academic institutions, faculty hold power over their students. However, this power often goes unacknowledged. Dr. Kate Clancy found that students can experience negative mentoring experiences when there is a lack of expectations set on faculty and coercive power goes unchecked.

Biological anthropologist Dr. Kate Clancy shares her experience of observing gaps within the mentoring ecosystem, then taking action to creat...

To create lasting improvements in mentorship, it’s necessary for institutions to develop a culture that supports and values effective mentoring. This is applicable, not only for college and universities, but for STEMM workplaces. 

Astronaut and engineer Dr. Ellen Ochoa was the first Hispanic woman to go to space. When she first joined NASA, Dr. Ochoa discovered a culture that recognized the value of effective mentoring ...

Medical school is a challenging journey. It’s especially daunting if no one at your institution supports you or if people actively discourage you from pursuing your goals. 

When pathologist Dr. Vivian Pinn started medical school, she was passionate to learn medicine. But often, as the only African American woman in a world dominated by white men, she experienced pushback to her presence. In this episode, Dr. Pinn shares...

Mentors may not always realize that students perceive them as role models. Yet, mentees pay attention to their mentor’s behavior, attitudes, and accomplishments. Mentees can envision themselves as successful in their chosen STEMM career when they see positive role models succeeding in the same field, particularly role models with similar values or a similar background. 

Mathematician Dr. Juan Meza initially experienced ...

We all want to discover the passion that drives our dreams. Often, we need help to find it. In STEMM careers, students need mentors, sometimes multiple mentors, to support them as they find their way and choose their career and academic paths.

In this first episode of Season Two, host Bethany Brookshire takes us through the experiences of undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students. These students share stories of ...

New mentoring relationships can be intimidating. Mentees may not know what to expect of their mentors, or what the goal of the mentoring relationship is. 

For mentoring relationships to be mutually beneficial, both mentees and mentors must establish expectations and boundaries. This is a skill that can take some practice, but helps students reach their full potential in STEMM. In this episode, students share their stori...

For many students in STEMM, family life is a top priority. However, some students have found tension when it comes to balancing family life and their STEMM careers, from both faculty and colleagues.  

For mentoring relationships to be effective, mentors must acknowledge students as whole people with priorities, responsibilities, and important personal decisions that exist outside of STEMM. In this episode, we hear from ...

Some students quickly trust their mentors. Others are hesitant to be vulnerable with them. And some students encounter barriers that disallow them to trust their mentors at all. 

Building trust may sometimes be easy, or it may be awkward, depending on the relationship. But there’s a reason why trust is critical to an effective mentoring relationship. In this episode,  students share how they were able to build trust wit...

Mentees must rely on someone with more experience and power to support them through their STEMM career. Sometimes, conflict happens. And it can have a massive impact on both mentees and mentors. 

Negative mentoring experiences in STEMM happen, and they can leave students and professionals feeling stuck and confused. In this episode, students and postdocs share their stories of what circumstances led to negative encounte...

After a negative mentoring experience, students are often left confused, unhappy, and unsure of how to move forward in their STEMM career. These experiences can be tricky to navigate and respond to.

A negative mentoring relationship should never constitute the end of a student’s STEMM career. Students should feel safe to identify when a mentoring relationship isn’t effective and what they need instead. In this episode, ...

Mentoring relationships are social relationships, so identity - the way you think about yourself, how you are viewed by the world, and the characteristics you use to define yourself - matters.

People have multiple identities, such as their gender identification, sexual orientation, place of birth, race, ethnicity, profession, values, and even hobbies.

Students’ identities can heavily influence their academic journeys...

It’s easy to assume that most mentoring relationships are organically formed. But effective mentoring can take many forms, and relationships are often formed through formal mentorship programs. 

Mentoring programs require a lot of resources and investments, like time, energy, and money. But they can be incredibly effective in mentoring and retaining students in STEMM fields. In this episode, students and postdocs share ...

2020 changed everything一the way we live, communicate, and learn. The long-term physical isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic created big challenges for students and faculty, in both their personal and academic lives.

Our lives transitioned to exist virtually, and effective mentorship in STEMM was heavily impacted. In this episode, students and postdocs share their stories of how their academic journeys were impacte...