The Science of Effective Mentorship in STEMM (2019) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
8 Findings and Recommendations
8 Findings and Recommendations
Pages 175-192
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From page 175... ...
In this report, the committee has • provided an evidence-based definition for mentorship and mentoring relationships; • discussed theoretical frameworks useful for understanding mentorship processes and contexts; • described the importance of acknowledging and building a mentee's identity in mentoring relationships, particularly for individuals belonging to populations that are underrepresented (UR) in STEMM,1 and of changing institutional culture to support effective mentorship in STEMM for all students, not just a select few; 1 is report refers to UR groups as including women of all racial/ethnic groups and individuals specifi Th cally identifying as Black, Latinx, and American Indian/Alaska Native.
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From page 176... ...
An enterprise-wide commitment to effective mentorship in STEMM could lead to effective, high-quality, and sustainable mentoring relationships at all career stages, and it could increase student recruitment, retention, engagement, and success in STEMM. This is particularly important for UR students in STEMM, for whom an absence of effective mentorship could disproportionately influ ence retention and persistence.
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From page 177... ...
Unfortunately, the majority of undergraduates entering STEM fields leave those fields before completing a bachelor's degree, with UR students leaving STEM fields at higher rates than their overrepresented counterparts. Further research on both effective mentorship and negative mentoring experiences is needed to determine how the STEMM workforce and ecosystem are affected.
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From page 178... ...
Effective mentorship behaviors are largely characterized by trust and responsiveness in offering career and psychosocial support to mentees across mentoring stages and in multiple forms, such as formal and informal mentoring structures. Many factors have been identified as being supportive of the mentoring relationship, particularly for identification, developing interpersonal comfort, building trust, and setting expectations.
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From page 179... ...
Finding 3.4: Effective mentorship is personalized and responsive Ongoing collaboration and discussions are key to initiating and sustaining an effective mentoring relationship that is responsive to the needs, goals, interests, and priorities of both mentors and mentees. Effective mentorship entails critical and honest self-reflection at multiple stages of the mentorship process.
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From page 180... ...
In fact, UR scientists, compared with scientists from well-represented back grounds, must balance many more social and cultural identities that are less compatible with the socially accepted, normative identity of a scientist who is a White, middle to upper-class, able-bodied, heteronormative man. Effective mentoring relationships employ competency- or skills-based, inclusive practices to help students see themselves as STEMM scholars with the potential to make meaningful contributions to their disci plines.
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From page 181... ...
Finding 4.2: Effective mentorship involves crossing cultural boundaries if they exist Because mentoring relationships by their nature involve culturally diverse individu als interacting with one another, mentorship is a culturally embedded endeavor. How ever, many faculty mentors in STEMM fields can unintentionally devalue cultural and social diversity in mentoring relationships and neglect the importance social identities have in shaping their mentees' academic experiences.
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From page 182... ...
Mentorship skill development benefits from instruction, practice, feedback, self-reflection, and intention. Operating on the assumption that mentors and mentees have the skills and knowledge to build success ful relationships without formal mentorship education favors mentee populations that already possess the social capital to connect with their mentors.
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From page 183... ...
While negative mentoring experiences can occasionally arise from ill intent, negative outcomes from mentoring can also arise from otherwise good intentions. Although there are no systematic studies in postsecondary STEMM contexts, there are many anecdotal reports suggesting that negative mentoring experiences may be common.
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From page 184... ...
(See Chapter 7 for more information.) Finding 7.1: Changes in institutional rewards systems can enhance mentoring provision and quality A commitment from institutional leadership to support mentorship could have a profound effect on the quality of mentorship and ultimately the development of under graduate and graduate students.
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From page 185... ...
, and mentees (undergraduate and graduate students participating in mentoring programs and other mentoring relationships) , and professional associations.
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From page 186... ...
2.2: Program leaders should support mentorship by ensuring there are evidence based guidelines, tools, and processes for mentors and mentees to set clear expectations, engage in regular assessments, and participate in mentorship education. Program design should take into account the stages of mentoring relationships and ensure that the evolving needs of undergraduate and gradu ate students are met as they shift to career stage–appropriate independence.
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From page 187... ...
Program leaders should regularly provide deans, department heads, and other program leaders with program metrics, including data on mentorship processes and outcomes. 3.3: entors and mentees should work with each other and their institutions to M develop feedback systems to document, evaluate, and advance mentorship competencies over time using established methods and instruments for mea suring mentorship effectiveness.
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From page 188... ...
Professional associations should also intentionally create cultures of inclusive excellence to improve the quality and relevance of the STEMM enterprise. Recommendation 5: Support Multiple Mentorship Structures 5.1: Institutional leadership should support policies, procedures, and other infra structure that allow mentees to engage in mentoring relationships with mul
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From page 189... ...
who can provide complemen tary or supplementary functions that enable mentees to progress and succeed. 5.3: entees should consider developing, as needed, a constellation of mentor M ing relationships with multiple individuals within and outside of their home department, program, or institution using tools designed for this purpose such as mentoring maps and individual development plans.
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From page 190... ...
7.2: Program leaders and department chairs should periodically review mentorship assessment results to identify and mitigate negative experiences. They should be open to the possibility of having to serve as a neutral third party to improve ineffective or negative mentoring experiences, and they should also be prepared to carry out their role effectively by participating in professional development on mentorship, conflict management, and workplace laws and ethics.
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From page 191... ...
8.1: Funding agencies should encourage the integration of evidence-based mentor ship education for mentors and mentees and assessments of mentorship into grant activities that involve undergraduate and graduate student research, education, and professional development to support the development of the next generation of talent in STEMM. 8.2: Funding agencies, when supporting STEMM student development, should require tools such as mentoring compacts and individual development plans to operationalize intentionality and promote shared understanding of the goals of mentoring relationships on sponsored projects.
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From page 192... ...
9.5: Scholars should investigate how different aspects of mentor-mentee socio cultural similarity may help shape mentorship outcomes to elucidate the effec tiveness of matching practices and processes in formal mentorship programs and provide greater access to quality mentoring.
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