“Talent is equally distributed across all sociocultural groups, but access and opportunity are not…Effective mentoring relationships can engage and develop the talent of a broader group of students interested in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Medicine) careers, and as a result, help with the development of STEMM professionals by increasing access, equity, and inclusion in STEMM.

More diverse and inclusive STEMM workplaces are more responsive to current and emerging problems because teams comprising individuals with diverse experiences and areas of expertise often ask different questions and tend to be more creative and innovative in how they answer those questions. More diverse research teams also, on average, result in higher impact research and make better decisions than less diverse teams. If access to the talent development and support is not provided equitably, the diversity of the STEMM workforce will continue to be insufficient.”

— National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
(NASEM, 2019)

Mentorship training is often absent from formal graduate school curricula, leaving many STEM professionals unprepared to be effective mentors. This is especially relevant as mentorship is often a cornerstone of our careers! Positive mentoring experiences can increase...

Persistence

Positive mentoring experiences reinforce persistence in the academy (McGee and Keller, 2007; Williams et al., 2016; NASEM, 2019).

Degree Completion

Positive mentoring experiences are cited as the most important factor for STEM degree completion (Ashtiani and Feliciano, 2012; Solorzano, 2000; NASEM, 2019).

Recruitment

Increased recruitment of underrepresented students into graduate school and research careers pathways with positive mentorship experiences (Hathaway et al., 2002; Junge et al., 2010; Nagda et al., 1998; Thiry and Laursen, 2011; NASEM, 2019).

Identity

Mentorship that goes beyond traditional bounds to address psychosocial needs can reinforce sense of belonging and science identity for mentees (Tenenbaum et al., 2001; Waldeck et al., 1997; NASEM, 2019).