Framework for Mentoring East Asian Women Scientists and Engineers

Karen Mancl,Katrina Lee

doi:10.18061/ojs.v116i2.5033

Abstract

The goal of this preliminary study was to develop a framework for success in mentoring East Asian women scientists and engineers. Six women participated in 2-hour interviews providing an oral history. Common themes from their interviews revealed they brought some shared experiences from Asia. While science and engineering studies were encouraged, especially for girls, they had little mentoring. Upon coming to the US they found themselves isolated as an Asian and female minority, while feeling family and cultural expectations. The findings of the study suggest a 4-part mentoring framework. 1. Mentors should be assigned. 2. At least 1 mentor should be a woman. 3. Mentors needed understanding of and to be able to discuss work/life balance and 4. Mentors need to work with protégés to help them with mission and goal setting. This research supports findings of other studies that describe mentoring teams working with minority faculty and the importance of women mentors in providing psychosocial mentoring functions. This research uncovered the limited role of East Asian mentors. Not all of the women had mentors from East Asia and some did not feel it was important.

Highlights

In universities in the United States a small but significant number of faculty members are women scientists and engineers who immigrated from East Asia after completing their degrees
Before they were mentored at U.S universities, these East Asian women scientists and engineers brought with them experiences from the educational system in Asia
The study’s primary goal was to propose a framework for successful mentoring of East Asian women scientists and engineers at U.S universities. This preliminary study found that these women come to the U.S encouraged to pursue science and engineering

Summary

Introduction

In universities in the United States a small but significant number of faculty members are women scientists and engineers who immigrated from East Asia after completing their degrees. These “East Asian women” often find inadequate mentoring and support services because of a lack of colleagues with similar experiences. A review of lists of faculty and graduate programs at The Ohio State University revealed that of 229 faculty members in the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, only two percent are women born and educated in East Asia. Only 10 East Asian women are among the tenure track or tenured faculty in non-medical science and engineering at The Ohio State University. Mentoring among Asian American and Asian faculty appears to be at a lower rate than mentoring in other ethnic groups

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