Constantine A. Balanis,
Regents’ Professor of Electrical Engineering

Mentoring: A Challenging and Stimulating Partnership

Introduction
The idea of mentoring dates back to the ancient Greeks, coming from Greek mythology. Mentor was a friend of Odysseus who was entrusted with the education of Telemachus, Odysseus' son, when Odysseus left to fight the Trojans. Therefore, a mentor is a wise and trusted advisor-a tutor, coach, counselor, and a faithful friend. The ancient Greeks were the first to adopt mentoring for developing talent by placing students under the auspices of a teacher who was responsible for mentoring them. Since then, mentoring has spread throughout the world, and today the ancient Greek tradition is used to mentor graduate students, especially those at the doctoral level.

My Philosophy
Over the last twenty-six years as a university professor, I have subscribed to the philosophy of the ancient Greeks and attempted to fulfill the obligations of a mentor. Mentoring is a responsibility and part of the job of a university professor. I have found it to be both challenging and stimulating-there is no other job more rewarding and fulfilling. As mentor, I view myself as a:

• teacher
• advisor
• scholar
• manager
• role model
• partner

Teacher
As professors, our major objective is to educate students. As a teacher, I try to impart to them basic and new knowledge, both inside and outside the classroom. I try to challenge and motivate students intellectually so they not only learn the material presented in the class and in the book, but they also reach a higher level of performance.

To accomplish this, I have to set an example by first challenging myself to not only be prepared for every lecture and be an effective communicator but also to keep the material at the cutting edge of technology. My basic interest in research is electromagnetics, which many undergraduate and graduate students consider to be a rather abstract subject. However, I believe I have the ability to make students understand the subject and to show how it can be applied. Most recently, a graduate student taking my graduate electromagnetics course for the first time commented, "I didn't know electromagnetics could be that interesting. For the first time I understood electromagnetics and how it can be used." I try to make the assignments challenging but fair. Since we live in an era of computers, many of the assignments require the use of the computer to solve more complex but practical problems. While some of the problems I assign are designed to test the students' understanding of the fundamentals, many are assigned to test the students' ability to apply the concepts to other problems and to practical designs.

Technology today in engineering is evolving rapidly. To keep pace with the most recent advances, I maintain an active research program, which allows me to be a more effective teacher. Some professors argue that maintaining an active research program detracts from teaching, but I maintain that in engineering, and in other fields, most of the best teachers are also the best researchers. I stay abreast of the field to impart to the students new, cutting-edge knowledge.

Advisor
As advisor, I am a counselor, a trusted friend, and an ally. My role is to advise and assist the students. In addition, I am there to defend, support, and encourage them.

First, the students and I develop a program of study that fits their goals. Then we identify research topics of mutual interest and set some challenging but realistic goals. I guide and supervise the research projects, providing constructive and critical reviews along the way. In addition, I assist the students' transition into the graduate academic environment and help them develop professionally. This is a critical aspect of mentoring, and I help accomplish this by having the students coauthor papers. I also encourage them to attend conferences, seminars, and workshops and to make oral presentations. Quite often I ask them to review journal and conference papers and proposals. In general, I provide direction on how to write research papers and reports, prepare manuscripts for publication, make oral presentations, and review papers and proposals. Most of the journal and conference papers I have written during the last twenty-six years as a faculty member have been with my graduate students. In fact, the students have been the first and most notable authors. For each journal and conference paper I coauthor with students, I encourage and require that they write the initial draft; then we revise it together. In addition, almost all of the conference papers I have presented at leading international conferences have also been coauthored with graduate students as the lead authors. In almost all of the conferences I have attended, I have taken graduate students with me and financed their travel-as many as three to four students at each conference. The students not only attend the conference but also make the oral presentations. To insure effective presentations, I assist the students in the preparation of the presentations, and we practice them as many times as required. This allows the students to develop and sharpen their oral communication skills. At the conferences I introduce them to peers, eminent scholars, and leading researchers in the field. Such exposure instills confidence and satisfaction to know that they have met and have been judged by the best of their field.

At the Ph.D. level, I eventually expect the students to know more than any of us and be experts on the topic of their dissertation. I require that students become collaborators and often get them involved in writing research proposals. In the past, two such proposals were funded-one by a leading government agency of basic research, another by a major aerospace company. Presently, another proposal, prepared primarily by two Ph.D. students, is under review and its funding is pending. I also take graduate students to visit and give oral presentations to potential sponsors of research. I consider these to be critical phases of mentoring for those who want to become successful university professors, even for those who will seek employment in industry. To be a successful university professor you must develop a viable research program; this often requires external funding.

In addition to publishing papers in refereed archival journals and presenting them in leading international journals, some very unique ideas and designs are often derived from innovative research. Such ideas often lead to patents. One of my M.S. graduate students and I developed a unique and clever design, and we received a patent to reduce signal distortion and crosstalk between closely spaced computer interconnects by a design that leads to smaller and faster computer circuits. Because of this pioneering innovation, even at the M.S. level, we received international notoriety and have been invited to participate in conference workshops and seminars. In almost all cases, I have insisted that my graduate student be a coauthor and participant in the workshops and seminars. Most often, the graduate student made the oral presentations.

As advisor, I provide the students opportunities to develop independence, creativity, and leadership. Above all, I treat students with respect and hold them to high standards of excellence.

Scholar
The mentor must be recognized and respected for her/his scholarly activities. This is important in recruiting graduate students and establishing visible and respected academic and research programs. I have invested considerable effort to establish such programs and build a good reputation. While I have maintained an active research program, I have written over 90 papers in refereed archival journals and presented over 130 papers at leading international conferences. In addition, I have written two successful textbooks, each being used at more than 100 leading universities throughout the world. One of them has even been translated to Chinese. Since we help educate and impart knowledge, there is no greater feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction than having others, including faculty, students, and practitioners, provide favorable comments on your books. Because of my accomplishments in education and research, in 1986 I was elected Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (with an international membership of over 325,000) and in 1991 a Regents' Professor at ASU.

Manager
As mentor, I also serve as a manager. I have developed and established respected national and international academic and research programs in electromagnetics, which I have sustained over twenty-five years. In addition, I have developed leading computational and experimental facilities for the students and other faculty. At ASU, I have been the architect of the ElectroMagnetic Anechoic Chamber (EMAC), which is recognized as one of the top two such experimental facilities at an American university. This unique, state-of-the-art facility is considered a local treasure and attracts many visitors. Over the years, my research program has been funded by many leading government agencies and major aerospace companies. The research problems we address are both basic and applied.

As manager, my job is also to recruit highly qualified graduate students, discuss with them research interests, activities, and opportunities, and identify possible topics that suit both the students and me. I have clear expectations and set realistic goals and objectives for the students. To help them financially, I discuss possible sources of financial support, such as graduate research assistantships in grants and contracts, teaching assistantships, scholarships, fellowships, and other sources of support. We plan exams, such as qualifying, comprehensive, and others. In general, I supervise completion of courses, research projects, and dissertations (writing, reading, and defending).

For almost all of the full-time graduate students that I have served as advisor, I have also provided financial support primarily through externally funded research projects. In addition, three of them have received national fellowships from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Office of Naval Research (ONR)-considered the premier fellowships in the United States in science and engineering-while others received university grants. I identified the fellowships, encouraged the students to apply, and provided letters of reference. I have nominated students for other awards and memberships to honorary and professional societies. In addition, through my professional networking and reputation, I have developed contacts for employment and provided letters of reference.

Role Model
As mentor, I also serve as a role model. I work hard and try to conduct myself, in the work place and elsewhere, in an ethical and professional manner. I know that others are watching us, especially the students and younger faculty. We should not have high expectations of others if we are not willing to make the same sacrifices ourselves. All of us in life have tried to emulate others because we have been impressed with their conduct, accomplishments, and morals. Since students often emulate their teachers and advisors, it is important that we not only excel in our accomplishments but also conduct ourselves in an ethical and professional manner.

In addition to my teaching and research activities, I have taken leading roles in professional societies and the community, and I have served on committees that developed strategic plans for the department, college, and university. In general, I try to be totally involved in my service on campus and off, which takes commitment and time. Mentoring is a continuing process and, as mentors, we must not rest on our laurels and past accomplishments.

Over the last eight years, I have also served as Director of the Telecommunications Research Center (TRC) at ASU. During this period, I had the opportunity to work with, develop, and mentor many young faculty affiliated with the center, most of whom were fresh Ph.D.'s when they joined ASU. During my yearly reviews as director, one accomplishment most often mentioned is my mentoring of the young faculty affiliated with the center. In fact, one of them wrote that "Balanis leads by example." By now, most of them have been promoted to associate professors and have established their own academic and research programs.

Partner
While many of the responsibilities and obligations rest on the advisor, mentoring is a partnership. As with any enterprise, a partnership is successful only if all parties involved act responsibly and fulfill their obligations. Therefore, a successful mentorship requires that not only the advisors act responsibly, but, just as important, that the students meet their obligations. There are certain responsibilities of the students toward the advisor that I consider essential: the students must trust and respect the advisor. However, respect is earned. The students must also exhibit responsibility, creativity, motivation, innovation, and a professional work ethic. In addition, they must be willing to tackle difficult problems, have a positive attitude, and above all, be committed to the program.

To ensure success of the alliance, both parties must actively participate in the selection process. As advisor, I examine the students' past record, accomplishments, and statement of purpose; check references and recommendations; and suggest classes to the students. However, I ask the students to do their homework in advance and learn more about me by identifying my research interests, activities, and accomplishments; talk to other students and faculty; and examine my past record, conduct, and relationship to others. Above all, I discourage them from rushing into a decision and encourage them to make sure there is a match. However, once they decide, they must make a commitment, promise to work hard, and see that the partnership comes to a successful completion. For the last twenty-six years, it has been a marvelous ride and remarkable journey, and I have enjoyed every minute of it.