Mentoring Matters: “Mentoring in Teams”

On Tuesday, November 12, the Graduate College hosted a virtual Mentoring Matters session on “Mentoring in Teams.” This session highlighted the value of diverse mentoring models, focusing on team-based approaches.

Dr. Lisa Anderson, Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Engagement in the Graduate College and a professor at ASU, facilitated the discussion. The panel featured Dr. Amber Wutich, a Graduate Faculty Mentor Academy member, and Dr. Nancy Grimm. They explored how collaboration between faculty members and students can enhance the mentoring experience.

Both panelists emphasized the importance of clear communication, setting expectations and addressing students’ individual needs to create successful mentoring relationships. They also agreed on the value of multiple mentors for students, particularly in interdisciplinary contexts, and recommended tools like mentorship maps to help define roles and expectations effectively.

A key takeaway from the discussion was the emphasis on collaborative and tiered mentoring models, which provide tailored support at different stages of a student’s academic journey. Examples of successful models included senior graduate students mentoring undergraduates and postdocs mentoring graduate students.

Both panelists underscored the importance of writing collaborative papers with potential co-mentors before formalizing a mentoring relationship. This process helps align goals and assess compatibility. Additionally, they highlighted the necessity of setting clear expectations, such as defining the frequency of meetings, feedback timelines, and preferred communication styles, to ensure a productive and mutually beneficial relationship.

The panelists also emphasized the critical role of mentorship in fostering self-advocacy and independence among students. Dr. Wutich and Dr. Grimm highlighted the importance of empowering students to actively manage their mentoring relationships by clearly articulating their needs and expectations, particularly in scenarios involving multiple mentors.

They shared innovative strategies such as mentoring “speed dating” sessions, where students meet potential mentors to discuss their goals and identify areas where they need guidance. Additionally, they addressed the challenge of balancing mentoring responsibilities with other professional demands, stressing the importance of effective time management. The panelists noted that mentors must recognize when students need more structured guidance versus when they are ready to work more independently.

The discussion concluded by addressing power dynamics within mentoring relationships, particularly in interdisciplinary research settings. Dr. Grimm shared insights from her experience mentoring in these spaces, emphasizing the importance of fostering an inclusive environment that values all contributions equally. She advocated for culturally aware mentoring practices and adopted anti-racist lab principles to ensure that students, especially those from underrepresented groups, feel valued and supported.

The panelists encouraged faculty members to develop clear, formalized mentoring documents to establish expectations and structure. However, they also emphasized the importance of flexibility and adapting these agreements as the mentoring relationship evolves.

Below is a list of mentoring resources shared by Dr. Wutich and Dr. Grimm:

NCFDD Mentoring Map

• Urban Research Best Practices
• Culturally Aware Mentoring
• Critical Response Process (CRP)
• National Research Mentoring Network
• Unlearning Racism in Geoscience