Apply to the Division 7 mentoring program

The goal of the Division 7 Mentoring Program is to provide informal mentoring by mid-career or senior scholars to interested early-career individuals, typically from outside their working unit. The nature of this mentoring is negotiated between the two individuals, but could include advice on job opportunities/hunting, setting up a laboratory, publishing, obtaining grants, the tenure process, negotiating work-career issues, and/or other careerrelated issues. Mentors and mentees might meet at a convenient conference, discuss issues by phone, email, or some other method.

Only members of Division 7 are eligible. Mentees typically are individuals with a PhD who are not yet at the associate/full level, and mentors will typically be at the associate professor level or higher (or at a comparable job level if in a purely research or policy setting). Any junior level Division 7 member can sign up to receive a mentor; mentees must be a member of Division 7. Prospective mentees are asked to answer a few questions to help guide the selection of a mentor, including their area of expertise, if they want a mentor with some overlap in areas of interest, or a request for general mentoring regardless of interest overlap. Mentees can also suggest possible mentors from among Division 7 members.

A small committee of Division 7 members is compiling the lists of interested mentees and willing mentors; the first matches are being assembled this summer. If a mentee suggests a specific Division 7 member he or she would like to have as a mentor, the committee will contact that person and determine if the suggested mentor has an interest in mentoring.

The mentor-mentee relationship, once established, can be severed by either individual at any time. However, individuals in this relationship are encouraged to discuss expectations early and re-negotiate them if the arrangement is not meeting their needs or schedule. In addition, the committee is available throughout each year to help resolve issues if needed.

We believe that this program can provide young scholars with a relatively unique opportunity that is not easily obtained elsewhere. To make this program a success, it is important that Division 7 members who are potential mentors be willing to participate. Please help make this program successful by signing up today. Participation should be an enriching experience for both mentees and mentors.