Mentorship is invaluable in science—but what exactly is a mentor?
A mentor is someone who provides guidance, support, and opportunities for professional growth. They serve as role models who encourage their mentees, recognize their strengths, and offer honest, constructive feedback. Mentors can also act as liaisons, connecting mentees to peers, professionals, and colleagues within their field.
Mentorship can take many forms and last for varying lengths of time. It may be a lifelong relationship or a single, impactful conversation. Receiving meaningful career advice from someone you meet at a conference is mentorship. Staying in touch with a mentor over several years is also mentorship. The duration and depth of a mentoring relationship depend on the mentor–mentee dynamic and the effort invested in fostering that connection. Regardless of scale, these interactions are crucial to both personal and professional development.
Mentorship can occur one-on-one or in group settings. Group mentorship offers the added benefit of hearing others’ questions and perspectives, allowing for broader discussions and shared learning. In all cases, mentors provide invaluable insight because they have navigated the early stages of the career paths their mentees are now beginning. A mentor has been in your shoes.
How do you find a mentor?
Some mentors are obvious, such as PhD committee members. Others may be less apparent, like a senior colleague helping you solve a challenge they faced just a year earlier. Understanding what you want from mentorship is essential. Are you seeking guidance on career advancement, academics, leadership, or another area? Clearly identifying your goals helps you seek the right person and ensures you receive meaningful mentorship.
Mentors may come through formal avenues such as fellowships, mentoring programs, or professional networking organizations. However, many can be found within your existing network. Teachers, supervisors, senior colleagues, and even family friends can all serve as mentors. Look for people you admire for their experience, values, or achievements. Engage with their work, follow their professional platforms, and don’t hesitate to reach out. A simple introduction explaining why you admire their work and asking a thoughtful question can open the door to mentorship.
It’s important to maintain realistic expectations. Some messages may go unanswered, some interactions may lead to brief conversations, and a few may develop into long-lasting mentoring relationships. Each of these outcomes are valuable.
The AWIS Chicago Chapter (AWIS-CAC) is committed to creating mentorship opportunities for both mentors and mentees. Each summer, from June through September, we host Summer Mentoring Circles that pair 1-2 volunteer mentors with 4-6 carefully matched mentees for a season of group mentorship. This program connects individuals across Chicago who share similar interests, career goals, and professional development needs. We are deeply grateful to our volunteer mentors, whose dedication makes mentorship accessible to dozens of emerging professionals each year.
Veronica Villanueva, PhD, received a BS in chemical engineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and then received her PhD in biomedical sciences from Rush University. Dr. Villanueva is currently working as a postdoctoral scholar at Northwestern University where her research focuses on the aged immune response to traumatic brain injury. She is also the Vice President of Programs in the AWIS Chicago Chapter where she and the AWIS-CAC board develop networking, mentoring, and professional development events. As a lifelong Chicagoan, Dr. Villanueva is proud to work with AWIS where she can mentor and assist the future scientists of Chicagoland.