Translating mentoring interventions research into practice: Evaluation of an evidence-based workshop for research mentors on developing trainees' scientific communication skills.

Erin K Dahlstrom,Cheryl B Anderson,Christine Bell,Annie Pham,Hwa Young Lee,Carrie A Cameron,Christine Maidl Pribbenow,Shine Chang,Dawn K Smith

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0262418

Abstract

A key part of keeping doctoral and postdoctoral trainees in STEM research careers is mentoring. Our previous research indicates that mentoring trainees in scientific communication (SC) skill development increases research career intention through two social-cognitive constructs, self-efficacy in and outcome expectations for acquiring SC skills, as well as science identity. While many mentor training interventions exist, no programs focus on developing SC skills specifically. The “Scientific Communication Advances Research Excellence” (SCOARE) program trains mentors to address trainee scientific communication (SC) skill development as an innovative approach to increase trainee research career persistence. The SCOARE training is a half-day workshop for faculty mentors of research trainees at five sites nationally. Informed by previous research, workshop content focuses on practical, effective mentoring strategies to develop trainee speaking and writing skills. Anonymous evaluation data collected after each workshop indicates participant satisfaction and reported positive increases in skills and knowledge in applying new and various techniques when mentoring trainees (skills) and how linguistic bias influences our perception of others (knowledge). This article outlines the research-based development of the SCOARE program, the first two years’ of workshop evaluations showing positive increases in skills and knowledge, and lessons learned to increase participant satisfaction with the program.

Highlights

IntroductionIn spite of over a decade of national efforts to mitigate attrition of doctoral and postdoctoral trainees from STEM research careers, at least 25% of STEM doctoral students (and a disproportionately larger percentage of underrepresented groups) move away from an academic research career during their doctoral studies [1]
In spite of over a decade of national efforts to mitigate attrition of doctoral and postdoctoral trainees from STEM research careers, at least 25% of STEM doctoral students move away from an academic research career during their doctoral studies [1]
The Scientific Communication Advances Research Excellence” (SCOARE) program has been well-received by both faculty and staff mentors

Summary

Introduction

In spite of over a decade of national efforts to mitigate attrition of doctoral and postdoctoral trainees from STEM research careers, at least 25% of STEM doctoral students (and a disproportionately larger percentage of underrepresented groups) move away from an academic research career during their doctoral studies [1]. Interventions to enhance mentoring quality have been shown to influence factors related to trainee research career intention and persistence such as self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and science identity [2,3,4,5,6,7]. One important facet of mentoring that has been shown to have a measurable impact on these factors and on intention to remain in a research career overall is scientific communication (SC) skill development [8,9,10]. We describe the development of a novel intervention designed to support mentors in understanding the role of SC in trainee career development and the evaluation results from its first two years of implementation. The intervention teaches linguistically-motivated, accessible techniques for approaching trainee SC skill development strategically and efficiently

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Conclusion