Mentoring

The goal of WISAY mentoring is to help increase the success of young women entering scientific fields by building and fostering valuable mentoring relationships between women in science at all career levels.

Young woman interested in a career in science or engineering are matched with women in more advanced career stages to receive mentoring, encouragement, guidance and support. For mentors, being able to share their knowledge and experience with their mentee can be very rewarding. All mentors and mentees are expected to attend a Mentoring Workshop in the fall, to help them engage in a productive and meaningful mentoring relationship. Matched pairs are encouraged to meet one-on-one throughout the year, as well as attend events organized by WISAY mentoring including social activities, lectures, and discussions.

Our mentoring program exists on three levels: graduate students mentoring undergraduates, post-docs mentoring graduate students, and post-docs being mentored (in small groups) by faculty members. Graduate students and post docs can participate in multiple programs if they so wish.

Please join our mentoring programs if you are interested! To get updates about mentoring events, please sign up for our mentoring mailing list.

Quotes from participants in the mentoring program:

Mentors

“I think I actually learned a lot for myself while trying to guide, and give advice to a younger scientist. I think it was helpful for my mentee to know that there was someone there who was an unconditional advocate for her.”

“My mentee definitely makes me feel like I am making a difference in her ‘optimism-levels’ for the better. And that makes me feel even more enthusiastic about telling her how cool science is, and helping her reach even higher than she already thinks she can.”

Mentees

“Speaking with my mentor, I have gained a little more clarity on what I’m going to do with my future after I graduate. I felt a bit lost and overwhelmed thinking about my plans. My mentor helped me sort things out by letting me know about her past and how she got where she is. I also have a little more confidence when it comes to planning out the future, dealing with schoolwork, and trying to maintain a social life.”

“[My mentor] had great insights about graduate school, and gave me some great advice about getting recommendations, studying for GRE, etc.”

“[My mentor] was incredible. She was personable and kind and really, incredibly supportive and understanding. When I needed a sounding board, she listened, and when I needed concrete advice, she helped me find a way to solve whatever the issue at hand was.”

“[My mentor] has helped me learn new study skills that have really helped in organic chemistry. In addition, my mentor has introduced many topics of interest to me that I had otherwise not known about [by] reading lab articles together.”

“[My mentor] has been an invaluable resource in helping me search for research experience, as well as a very helpful source of guidance on graduate school, postdoctoral life, and balancing a scientific career with a full life. Every time we talk, I feel that I gain a new perspective on what the “road” ahead of me –in terms of research, grad studies, living away from home, etc.–will be like in a couple of years. It’s been immensely profitable (and fun!) for me to have this interaction with someone whom I respect and very much look up to.”

“I felt that we developed a close relationship over the year and I think signing up for a mentor was one of the best decisions I’ve made at Yale.”