Mentoring in the Sciences


Grant Writing 3MT Competition ESL Resources Leadership Mentoring Wellness Professional Development Courses R3 Initiative Information Management Connect with Alumni Writing and Publishing Presentation Skills LinkedIn Learning Experiential Learning Opportunities

From the Mentors Perspective

This content is meant to provide information for the mentor on how to support the mentee. Likewise, this is also useful for a mentee to know to help set expectations and goals.

Ways you can engage with your Mentee

Tell Your Story - Professional

  • Discuss your educational background and the role that education played in your transition into the professional world.
  • How has your industry and position changed in the past 3-5 years?
  • Share information about current trends or emerging issues in your field.
  • Give tips or suggestions for preparing to work in a professional environment, from your personal experience.

Tell Your Story - Personal

  • Share how you have balanced personal life and career and what to expect.
  • Discuss what you would do differently during your PhD or Postdoc if you had a chance to start over.
  • Talk about how you have dealt with personal or professional challenges during your career.

Building Connections and Networking

  • Introduce your mentee to colleagues or other alumni contacts.
  • Talk to your mentee about professional associations, networking groups, or other affiliations within your field.
  • Guide your mentee in professional etiquette and how to conduct an informational interview.
  • Offer the mentee the opportunity to visit your company and shadow you.

Internship and Job Search Advice

  • Give industry-specific opinions and feedback on the mentee's professional documents (resume, Linkedin, cover letter, etc.)
  • Lead your mentee through a mock interview.
  • Ask them to share their elevator pitch and provide feedback.
  • Offer suggestions about where to best look for jobs/internships in your field.

Culturally Congruent Mentoring

"‘Culturally responsive mentorship can validate students’ various identities and help them navigate invalidating experiences encountered while simultaneously reinforcing their self-efficacy in their field.’
Culturally responsive mentoring correlates with students feeling more connected to their field of study and research. Mentors from all backgrounds can work to acknowledge identities of their mentees and understand the research describing the impact of social identities on students’ experiences in STEMM.”

- From National Academies of Sciences: The Science of Effective Mentorship in STEMM

Below is a list of resources that provide examples and information on how to develop a culturally congruent mentoring experience with a mentee:

Other Mentoring Resources