Mutual Mentoring to Promote Success and Satisfaction of Women Faculty in STEM

Abstract

Mutual mentoring groups that have been meeting regularly for the past eight years have been supporting the success of women faculty in STEM disciplines. Participants gather to each "work" on career and life challenges they face, by exchanging ideas with faculty from different departments and career stages. The community and shared experience of the mentoring group also combats the sense of isolation women faculty face in male-dominated departments. We describe how to foster the grass-roots formation of successful mutual mentoring groups. Additional groups that have formed among female STEM faculty, female STEM graduate students, and non-white STEM faculty are providing a supportive environment for individuals from under-represented groups to thrive in STEM careers.