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Mentoring for the Demographically Mismatched

This award symposium in honor of Alanah Fitch focuses on mentoring in the scientific field, particularly for individuals who may be demographically mismatched. It explores the importance of effective mentoring relationships and the impact they can have on changing the world. The symposium also discusses the challenges and strategies for increasing the number of women in science.

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Mentoring for the Demographically Mismatched

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  1. Mentoring for the Demographically Mismatched Giddings Award Symposium In Honor of Alanah Fitch ACS 12 September 2006

  2. Clay films on electrodes Length scales “this will never work…. When I first met AF…. Krzysik, R. J., Alanah Fitch. Multisweep cyclic voltammetric studies on the effect of charge on diffusion and sorption processes of ML3n+ chelates at clay-modified electrodes +, J. Electroanalytical Chemistry, 1994, 379, 129-134.

  3. BA Anthropology MS Soil Fertility PhD Agronomy Postdocs: Soil chemistry; electrochemistry Professor Chemistry Loyola - Chicago Spanish Reading & typing Books: Pb Smart Musicals & instruments Grows garden Army of pets Erika, Adam, and Al Determined to save world Alanah Fitch

  4. The Lead Project • Scientifically relevant • Integrated across length scales • Changes the world • All things Alanah: Complex, complete, competent Congratulations

  5. Maybe in the context of our joint experiences upon joining the Revolution, unwittingly, in 1985… “Talk about Larry R. Faulkner’s Mentoring Style….”

  6. Come the Revolution…. In the mid-1980s, the community considering: • Increase number of women in science? • How? • How to Mentor

  7. 1964 Gordon Conference on Electrochemistry (the first) http:/ /www.vanysek.com/electrochem/RAO%20GRC2.doc Thanks to Petr Vanysek, Steve Feldberg, Fred Anson

  8. 1974 Gordon Conference

  9. 1984 Gordon Conference

  10. 1985 Gordon Conference

  11. First Meetings • Alanah GRC 1984/1985 • LRF UT ~1982 • Talk of science

  12. 1984 GRC – One of the early effective mentoring events • LRF Chair • JL’s first major meeting and most important • Changed everything • Exciting science • Contacts • How science is done

  13. ~1985: The Revolution is Here… • AF and I recruited unknowingly into Revolution • Naïve recruits – about how science works; not the science • Mentors stepped forward – naive too • Everyone naïve about the magnitude of the “Project”

  14. Early Interactions of Mentees &Mentors • At meetings, stochastic interaction between distribution of mentees and mentors • Mentee : Mentee • Mentor : Mentee • Mentor : Mentor? • Distribution of skill sets • Clear demographic differences between mentors and mentees Mentor Mentee

  15. Batch Mentoring • About 10 women, mostly young • “Senior Women” Janet Osteryoung Therese Cotton

  16. Over time, effective mentoring combinations developed • Never formally arranged • Matched interests • Based on trust • Both choose • Choose carefully – long process ?

  17. Successful Mentors Early Realize • Exist competence, but not in the box • If push into box, will kill it ? Standard Box

  18. Successful Mentors Eventually Realize It is impossible to underestimate how naïve the demographically remote can be. They are not of the system.

  19. Successful Mentors Can See Things from the Mentee’s Perspective

  20. Listening Sound, thoughtful advice that relies on mentee’s intelligence “Concise and Compelling” A place to ask dumb questions No blanket directives Patience Constant and available There Reinforces strengths LRF’s confidence Reliable follow through Creative problem solving Scientific competence Successful Mentors Offer

  21. 1994 Gordon Conference

  22. The Early Revolution • Through 1990, women and men not different • No Pink: didn’t wear it; didn’t say it – Not even pink money • ~1994, “We are not men.”

  23. The Survivors – An Unlikely Band of Revolutionaries • High losses from the Batch • The survivors: • Short • Predictable response – even under stress • “Ladylike” • Alanah and Johna; Fristch and Fitch…

  24. Other Mentors • The Good Guys • Bob Osteryoung, “Not like other people…” • Steve Feldberg, “Sounds good,…” • Henry Blount, recognized the challenges early • Joe Maloy, “Oy.” • Peter Fedkiw, “That’s intriguing.” • The Stealth Mentors • Reviewers who take the time

  25. Is the Revolution Over Yet? No. Apparently, the Revolution takes a long time. Revolution~ O (1 academic lifetime) Then, what is the Report from the Front?

  26. Informal survey of GRC photos The mechanism? How many go into academics? How many female-mentored females go into academics? A separate but equal female science? Why is my group all male? The next revolution? A Plot for Alanah

  27. A Plot for Alanah

  28. 2003 Gordon Conference

  29. Acknowledgments • Congratulations to Alanah • Thanks to Alanah • Grateful acknowledgments to all those who have tried to help. • Most grateful acknowledgment and appreciation to Larry Faulkner, who figured out how to mentor the demographically mismatched.

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