Peer power: A women's peer-mentoring program at the workplace: example from the academia.

Abstract

EMBO Reports (2018) e47246 For most scientists in academia, a tenure‐track position is both a major achievement and a long‐awaited challenge to gain independence and pursue their own research projects. But this independence comes with drawbacks. Although principle investigators (PIs) can rely on many years of experience and training of how to perform research, many find it an onerous task to lead a research group, as their training focused mostly on their scientific education and too often not on the other skills required: recruiting excellent students, allocating resources, management skills, becoming a mentor, and navigating institutional politics. Many universities and research institutions therefore offer mentoring programs whereby successful senior faculty members, who are willing to allocate time, resources, and expertise, pair up with a young PI to help and advise them. These programs, which often hinge on a good personal and professional fit between mentor and mentee [1], are very helpful to improve productivity, career advancement, and career satisfaction [2]. While establishing an independent research group is challenging for anyone, female PIs face additional challenges, such as maintaining a healthy work–life balance, confronting stereotypes about women as group leaders, or dismissive attitudes which undermine the achievements of female scientists [3]. In addition, female scientists seem to find it more difficult to form mentorship relationships on their own [4]. Given the importance of mentoring, and the specific challenges and difficulties for female scientists, many universities and academic centers—among others, Kansas University School of Medicine, Rice University, Pennsylvania State University, and University of Wisconsin‐Madison—have implemented specific mentoring programs for female faculty. Public funding agencies, notably the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the European Commission Horizon program, also support such projects to develop and apply …