Mentoring with APS IMPact

Volunteering to serve as a mentor in the APS IMPact program is an excellent opportunity for you to give back to the community and play a vital role in nurturing the next generation of scientists.

What are the benefits of mentoring?

By engaging with a mentee, you can enhance your leadership skills and learn to effectively communicate with scientists at different career stages. Mentors and mentees can develop long-lasting relationships if they wish, and mentoring is an excellent way to connect with the next generation of scientists.

Do I qualify to serve as an IMPact mentor?

To participate as a mentor in APS IMPact, you must be a current member of APS working in industry. Mentors can range in career stage from post docs to senior scientists. The most important requirements are that a mentor is dedicated to providing guidance, and has knowledge and experience that will be useful to the mentee. Mentors are expected to commit roughly an hour, once a month, over three to four months.

IMPact mentoring timeline

Program objectives are best reached with consistent and regular check-ins. Within a week of being matched, the mentee should contact their mentor to establish an initial meeting. After the first meeting, the mentor and mentee should establish a regular schedule to meet and discuss progress. Mentors are asked to meet with their mentee monthly for approximately 30 minutes. In most cases, meetings will be virtual.

Requirements to participate in IMPact mentoring

Mentors must complete an information form, which includes basic questions about:

  • Your research interests
  • Your areas of expertise to provide advice and guidance
  • Prior mentoring experience
  • A short paragraph describing your interest in mentoring

Students in the program will be able to review the above information to select the mentor that is best matched to their professional goals. It is up to both the mentor and the mentee whether or not they wish to continue communicating. Mentors are also asked to complete online evaluations.

Mentor best practices

Successful mentors:

  1. Commit to at least one interaction/hour of support per month.
  2. Take responsibility to initiate the relationship.
  3. Set aside time for the mentoring process and honor all appointments.
  4. Invite the mentee to meetings or activities, as appropriate. Schedule meetings with planned topics.
  5. Be flexible on meeting times and places.
  6. Arrange frequent contacts through Zoom, telephone, email, or face-to-face, if possible.
  7. Respond to emails from their mentee within two days of receipt.
  8. Keep information that their mentee has shared with them confidential. If something concerning the mentee needs to be discussed with others, it should first be discussed within the mentoring relationship.
  9. Establish open and honest communication and a forum for idea exchange.
  10. Foster creativity and independence. Help their mentee build self-confidence and offer encouragement.
  11. Provide honest and timely feedback to their mentee.
  12. Provide opportunities for the mentee to talk about concerns and ask questions.
  13. Above all, listen.

Mentors should avoid doing the following:

  1. Trying to give advice on everything. You don’t need to have the answers to all your mentee's questions. Your job is to answer the questions that you can and to connect your mentee to resources if there is a question you cannot answer.
  2. Encourage your mentee to be totally dependent upon you.
  3. Provide your personal history, problems, animosities, successes, failures, etc. unless they are constructive contributions.
  4. Be too busy when the mentee needs your advice or support. If you do not have time, give the mentee a heads-up so that they know when they can reach you.

Some activities for mentors to do with their mentees:

  • Discuss how your education prepared you for your career
  • Ask questions about your mentee's interests and passions
  • Share information about a current event or issue in your field
  • Recommend helpful networking strategies
  • Introduce your mentee to colleagues or other contacts
  • Offer guidance on where to look for job/internships in your field
  • Critique your student's resume and/or cover letter
  • Lead your student through a mock interview

Log in with your APS member account

Note: Mentors are not to provide nor are they expected to provide advice on visas and extensions. Mentees should seek advice from appropriate authorities.