How does mentorship help researchers navigate their careers?

Text by Ksenia Kuznetsova, Julia Kolodiazhnaia, and Evgeniya Vorobyeva

Illustrations by Julia Kolodiazhnaia and Ksenia Kuznetsova

Editing by Olya Vvedenskaya

- The Sci.STEPS program was designed to facilitate career development mentorship for scientists

- A structured program supports mentee skill development and cultivates leadership skills

- Community plays a key role in the mentorship program

What is mentorship in career development for scientists?

Mentorship in the context of a scientific career is a dynamic, individualized partnership between a more experienced mentor and a mentee who seeks guidance and advice, designed to accelerate the mentee's professional and personal development. By sharing insights and knowledge, mentors help mentees navigate their professional journey, providing practical advice as well as encouragement and support, which is helpful in navigating the complexities of career paths that start in academia.

Is there a need for career-related mentorship among scientists?

On several occasions, we asked the early-career researchers attending Sci.STEPS talks or webinars: Have you ever felt the need for career mentorship, and did you get the needed help?

From diverse groups and various scientific backgrounds, we received the answer: the demand is there. Often (on average, two-thirds of the respondents), scientists do feel the need for career advice but don’t know where to get it.

Based on this data, we confirmed a clear need for a structured mentorship program to help early-career researchers find the help they need in navigating scientific careers.

What is the Sci.STEPS mentorship program?

We started Sci.STEPS with the idea to facilitate equal access to conscious career building for young scientists worldwide. Through a structured program that includes not only individual mentoring but also networking events, lectures, and workshops on career development and community support, we create a structured and holistic approach to career mentorship for researchers, while also placing a strong emphasis on mutual support and collaboration.

What is the structure of the Sci.STEPS mentorship program?

Essentially, Sci.STEPS is a structured program where mentor-mentee interactions and skill development go hand in hand with creating a strong community.

The Sci.STEPS career mentorship program for researchers begins with recruiting a diverse pool of mentors from various scientific disciplines and career stages who are willing to share their expertise and experience. The detailed mentors’ profiles are then published on Sci.STEPS website so that mentees could indicate their preferred mentors in the applications. We strongly believe that prioritizing mentees' preferences in a mentor’s choice can help boost mentees’ motivation and agency. The thorough and personalized pairing process that follows this step is designed to ensure the best possible matches between mentors and mentees.

Matched mentor-mentee pairs then embark on the three-month mentorship program for scientists with regular mentor-mentee interactions, as well as workshops facilitating personal growth and learning. All participants of the program are invited to be part of the international Sci.STEPS community.

How do we evaluate and improve our program?

Feedback evaluation is an integral component of the Sci.STEPS career mentorship program as it provides information for assessing the effectiveness of the mentorship relationships and the program efficacy. To this end, we collect the feedback at key points: midway, in the end, and through follow-up several months after the mentorship season. It allows us to improve the quality of the Sci.STEPS mentorship program, to follow up on participants’ progress, and provide additional support if needed.  

What have we learnt about career mentorship for researchers?

Experience gained from three Sci.STEPS mentorship seasons and participant feedback have provided insights about mentorship. Here is what we have learned so far.

Lesson 1: Organised mentorship program supports skill development of mentees.

A huge part of the Sci.STEPS career mentorship program and workshops, where both mentors and mentees participate. These sessions provide opportunities for everyone to enhance their skills, such as self-presentation, assertiveness, and time management. These skills are essential for personal development, ultimately opening doors to new (career) opportunities.

Lesson 2: Mentorship experience helps cultivate effective leaders

Our observations throughout the program reveal a strong correlation between a mentor's involvement and the mentee's progress. Often, the more engaged mentors are in their relationship, the greater the progress mentees working with them make. This principle can be generalized to leadership in research: effective leadership plays a crucial role in enhancing team performance and cultivating a healthy atmosphere.

Mentors correlate their engagement with mentees’ success.

In addition to mentors’ evaluations, we also ask mentees to assess their own progress: whether their career plans have become clearer, if their stress levels have decreased, and if their motivation has increased. Remarkably, all these areas showed significant improvement after participating in the program.

Mentees report improvements after participation in the Sci.STEPS program.

Mentors develop and demonstrate crucial leadership skills, providing clarity, managing stress, and tailoring approaches to individual values, directly within the mentorship relationship. 

We encourage a structured approach to goal-setting and open communication, allowing mentees to observe and internalize effective feedback techniques to apply in both academic and industry settings. In fact, many mentees went on to become mentors themselves, honing these skills in the new role.

Furthermore, we host workshops and publish helpful tips to equip all participants with the tools necessary for success in their scientific careers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth.

Lesson 3: Sci.STEPS community improves mentorship experience for both mentees and mentors

Many important skills, such as leadership, active listening, and communication, can be learned and practiced through mentorship and cannot be taught in a rigid manner. Rather, they flourish through interactions in an environment that encourages experimentation, feedback, and experiential learning. This is how we envisioned the Sci.STEPS community: a space enabling early career researchers to develop the skills and boost their confidence for the career journey.

Indeed, throughout the Sci.STEPS mentorship program, we are witnessing active engagement in our community. Participants have taken the initiative in various ways, such as contributing to community-driven articles on AI tools for scientists or science communication YouTube channels and organizing workshops and language clubs. These initiatives demonstrate how mentorship empowers individuals to actively contribute to their communities while developing valuable skills. When individuals feel supported and encouraged, they are more likely to step forward and lead projects that benefit their peers.

Conclusion

The structured Sci.STEPS mentorship program responds to the recognized need for mentorship among early-career researchers. Through evaluation and feedback, we've learned that this approach helps mentees develop their skills, cultivates leadership, and shows that building a strong community is instrumental in enhancing the overall mentorship experience.

About Sci.STEPS

Embarking on a Ph.D. journey can be challenging, but with Sci.STEPS' mentorship program, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Sci.STEPS creates a supportive environment where you can build on your strengths, gain confidence, and grow into a well-rounded professional. Whether you're just starting or looking to enhance your skills, our mentorship program and targeted consultations ensure you're equipped for success during your Ph.D. and beyond.