Equity-Driven STEM Mentorship Award
Eligibility and offer
What Is Offered: Mentoring support will be complemented by a financial award scheme, available to selected applicants. Each mentor will receive a minimum of £2,420 (up to a maximum of £3,000), allocated towards a stipend bursary or consumables. The specific allocation will depend on your current contract. Each mentee will be granted £2,000 towards a stipend bursary.
Eligibility and application process: We are looking to fund already formed triads involved in research supervision. The scheme will be available to the following triads:
· Faculty member: Any faculty member that is engaged with mentoring and supportive on ERC-schemes with equity perspectives.
· Mentors: Any Warwick SLS PDRAs or PhD students in their 2nd or 3rd academic year.
· Mentees: Undergraduates in their third year and MBios students.
Scope
This mentoring program is an integral part of the Enhancing Research Culture Scheme, set to launch within the School of Life Sciences. Our initiative aims to cultivate a more diverse research environment by inspiring young researchers from underrepresented backgrounds to emerge as leaders in their respective STEM fields. Recognizing the challenges at multiple stages of a research career, spanning from undergraduates and master's students to PhD and Postdoctoral Research Associates (PDRA) levels, this internship program will benefit career progression. It will raise awareness of diversity, equity, and inclusion within the research environment while enhancing participants' professional skills and competencies.
How to apply
Mentors will need to submit their application form using this link by 5 pm on the 1st of December 2023.
Announcement of Awardees: We will notify grant recipients by 22nd of December 2023.
Contact:
If you have any questions or need further information, please don't hesitate to contact at
Why This Matters
Equity, diversity, and inclusion are foundational research skills. By supporting researchers from diverse backgrounds, we will promote productive and enriched research teams and pave the way for ground-breaking discoveries. This mentoring program will help mentors and faculty members to become a reflective promoter for positive change, encouraging an environment where every aspiring scientist can thrive.
General framework
By participating in this program, you are agreeing to cultivate an environment where early-stage researchers can collaborate, exchange knowledge, and refine their professional development skills. You will be expected to conduct research as a Mentoring triad and attend a set Workshops series.
Mentoring triads
In the first five months of the program, we will motivate mentors to meet with their mentees for an hour per week and faculty members will be encouraged to support this mentoring. Following this period, mentees will be encouraged to take the lead in these meetings. Note that additional mentoring support from an external faculty member can be provided if required.
Workshop series
Participants will be expected to participate in the following workshops:
1) “What is mentoring and what to expect?” Run in the first week of February and directed to the mentees. 2hrs. duration.
2) “What is to be a mentor and mentoring practices” Run in the second week of February and directed to mentors. 3 hrs. duration.
3) “Sustaining mentoring practices” Run at the first week of April and directed to mentees, mentors, and faculty members.
4) “Microaggression and equity” Run at the first week of May and directed to mentees, mentors, and faculty members.
5) “Closing mentorship and next steps” Run at the first week of June and directed to mentees, mentors, and faculty members.