Session T03: How Mentoring Shapes Pathways into Physics

Mentorship vs. Sponsorship

As an underrepresented minority in physics moving forward in my career I've learned the importance of not only mentors but sponsors, and understanding the difference between the two. Over the course of this session, we will compare and contrast the two and discuss the concern that women are over-mentored and under-sponsored.   

The Many Flavors of Mentoring

Mentoring in many aspects of life can come from various individuals. People that we traditionally expect to receive mentoring from such as teachers, coaches, parents, research advisors, etc., and people that we may not expect. Mentoring can also be bi-directional, either among multiple people or within the same two-person relationship. These flavors of mentoring will be discusses in this session.   

Experiences with Mentoring

As a 5th-year graduate student finishing up my degree, I have much experience in mentoring relationships. Not only do my colleagues, advisors, and research team mentor me in several ways, I have also taken up several mentoring opportunities myself for all five years of my program. I will be pulling from these experiences in this panel discussion in addition to my expertise in diversity and equity issues in physics.   

Multiple Mentors for Career Success

Often students think of mentors as the person who oversees their research projects. To be truly successful, a student will need to have people who can offer expertise on a variety of issues. Finding those mentors who can do more than provide insight on research is a critical process that is often underrated.