Science Mentorship Programs

Mishika Bhatia just graduated high school, and she's already two years into developing a potential drug treatment for a condition that affects 1 in 10 women of reproductive age worldwide. 🔬 The condition is called PMOS (Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome), the updated medical name for what most people know as PCOS. It causes irregular periods, cystic acne, hair loss, and infertility, with no existing cure. Mishika knows this firsthand. Two years ago, she was diagnosed herself. After hitting dead end after dead end looking for treatment options, she decided to stop waiting for someone else to solve it. Her research focuses on saw palmetto, a plant studied extensively in men for its effect on a particular enzyme pathway. Mishika noticed that same pathway exists in women too, but has never been explored in that context. So she's applying existing science to a population that's been largely overlooked. She partnered with Dr. Joshua Johnson at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, moving from cell studies into pharmacological testing, isolating the enzyme pathway and testing saw palmetto at various dosages. The results have already turned heads. 🏆 She won second place overall at the Denver Metro Regional Science and Engineering Fair, took second in Translational Medical Science at the International Science and Engineering Fair, and was named a top 300 Science Scholar at the Regeneron Science Talent Search. She's also started five chapters of the Girl Persist program at high schools across Colorado's Front Range, mentoring young women in leadership and professional development. This fall she heads to the University of Michigan to study pharmaceutical sciences and drug development on a pre-med track, with medical school in her sights. Read the full article by Libby Smith in CBS Colorado to learn more about Mishika Bhatia and her groundbreaking PMOS research! 👉 https://lnkd.in/esRrG4uc #WomenInSTEM #GirlsInSTEM #STEMGems #GiveGirlsRoleModels 💜🩷💙💚 Mishika's story is exactly why STEM Gems exists. When girls see that scientific breakthroughs don't wait for medical school, that a teenager can walk into a university lab and start solving a problem that's been ignored for too long, everything shifts. That's the vision we've been working toward for over a decade. If you believe in putting more girls like Mishika on a path to change the world, learn more about our impact and support STEM Gems here: https://lnkd.in/e7_6EVHZ

I feel passionately about helping young people wherever I can. Honestly, I probably say yes to more mentoring requests than I should... But I keep doing it - because sometimes, that one “yes” can change the entire trajectory of someone’s life. Other people saying "yes" to me changed mine. A few days ago, I caught up with one of our software engineering interns at Clear from a few years ago. She interned with us when she was still in high school - no prior experience, but an abundance of curiosity, grit, and a hunger to learn. I remember thinking: This is exactly the kind of person I want on my team. We gave her a real project, not “intern work.” She built tools that actually shipped to production. She joined team meetings, contributed ideas, and saw her code live inside a real product used by thousands. Fast forward to now, and she is in her first year studying Theoretical Physics at UCL, and she’s absolutely thriving. That’s what mentorship and opportunity do. They make a young person feel seen, and capable of more than they imagined. I think we underestimate how much impact a single opportunity can have when someone’s just starting out. You don’t have to have a huge program or a formal mentorship structure. Sometimes, it’s just saying: “Sure, come join us. Let’s see what you can do.” Years later, when they’re thriving and you see their name in your inbox again, you realise that small act of belief was the spark. So here’s my gentle nudge to founders, managers, and professionals everywhere: make space for young people. Give them real responsibility. Invest a bit of your time. You’ll be amazed at what they do with it - and how much it gives back to you in return. #startups #entrepreneurship #education #internships #mentorship

From High School in France to Purdue University: How Mentoring Made Me a Better Scientist Six months ago, I started my research project on micro-RNA therapy against bone cancer (osteosarcoma). In that same timeframe, I was also given a new role, mentoring Viyanshi Patodia, an Indian undergraduate spending her final semester at Purdue. At first, juggling mentorship, coursework, and a brand-new project seemed daunting. But step by step, I turned chaos into clarity, setting weekly experimental goals, breaking tasks into actionable steps, and immersing myself in an ever-growing repertoire of scientific articles 📚🔬. 💡 Along the way, I uncovered three key lessons, a trilogy of growth I didn’t see coming: 📚 Act I: The Surprise — Bidirectional Learning Mentorship is a two-way street. 1️⃣ You master ideas deeply enough to teach them. 2️⃣ You reframe them so they click for someone else. Sometimes, that meant dusting off my old textbooks and learning alongside my mentee. 🗂️ Act II: The Method — Clear Organization Being responsible for someone else's growth pushed me to level up my structure. ·      What are this week’s goals? ·      How do they translate into daily tasks? ·      What can I delegate and how do I teach her to take over those tasks? This mindset gave us clarity and fueled our progress, week after week. 💡 Act III: The Secret Sauce — Spark, Don’t Dictate Great mentorship isn’t about spoon-feeding information. It’s about igniting curiosity 🔍. I offered resources, she asked questions some that even sent me back to the literature. That virtuous cycle? It fueled both our growth. 💫 Have you ever mentored someone in school or at work? What has your mentee taught you? I’d love to hear your stories below! Viyanshi, thank you for these intellectually stimulating six months. Your inquisitive mind is a great asset. Best of luck and stay curious! #gradschool #phd #cancer #research #mentorship #purdue

I kept crunching the numbers. They just couldn’t be right! Math is not my strong suit, and I was the oddball of the group, but I was going to do it! I was going to ask a dumb question on my first day of doctoral statistics! “Excuse me, but am I correct in assessing that- even if I totally bomb each week- if I retake the quiz, resubmit the homework, and do the extra credit, I could still earn 90%?” ‘That’s right. Now you have to do the work, but I believe in creating a safe place to fail. You may not get everything right on the first try so I give you multiple attempts. It’s about learning, and learning is a process.’ That’s it, ya’ll. That is when the penny dropped for me that I could actually be successful. It wasn’t solely my work ethic that was going to get me there- it was the environment that my mentor, Dr. Kim Nimon, created for me. Now, sometimes mentors are also your DeMentors. Your TorMentors. I heard Kim once tell someone ‘I push you as far as you’ll let me push you, but I’m beginning to think Mandolen doesn’t ever say “Uncle!”’. I came really close to that during the final throes of my monstrous statistical dissertation, ya’ll! 😜 But what started eight years ago this week in a classroom in East Texas formed not only my growth as a scholar, consultant, and Professor, but as a mentor. Kim was the first to publish research with me. She was the first to train me how to consult. She was the first to advocate for me on the job market. She supported me as I learned to re-walk and talk after dystonia came- never missing a class. She also, years later, invited me to church when I really needed it. She’s continued to pray over me, offer me counsel, and champion me. None of this would have happened had she not created a safe place to fail, to learn, to grow. So, to all you doc students fighting back nerves and sizing up your cohort members, remember: This is a process and grad programs are no place for egos. Trust your mentors to craft the learning environment, do the hard work, and don’t say “Uncle”! You’re in good hands, and I’m cheering you on. Happy growing! -M. #MullMentum #NarrativeLeadership #GenerationalMentorship

I’m excited to share the publication of our latest paper in the SAE International Journal of Materials and Manufacturing. This study, “Effect of Copper on Extrudability of High-Strength AA6082 Aluminum Alloys” presents several key findings: ✅ Copper additions were found to lower the solidus temperature of AA6082, directly impacting its extrudability and surface crack formation. ✅ While the hot deformation behavior remained largely unaffected by Cu content, the extrusion limit diagram revealed a shrinking safe process window with increasing Cu. ✅ Through experimental trials and finite element modeling, we demonstrated that surface cracking initiates once the surface temperature reaches approximately 96% of the solidus which is a critical insight for industrial alloy design. This paper also marks a special milestone: congratulations to Xiaoying Wang (Jenny) on publishing her first first-author paper! It was an honor to support her through the writing process and help shape the first draft into a rigorously executed and clearly communicated study. Publishing your first paper is never easy. It’s often a long, uncertain process filled with questions about clarity, novelty, and structure. It takes resilience from the first author and consistent support from co-authors to see it through. Good mentorship doesn’t just support the science but it nurtures growth, helps emerging researchers discover their scientific voice, and builds the confidence to trust in their own abilities. And so, I’m proud to have been part of that journey with Jenny. Grateful to all co-authors and collaborators (Mary Wells, Warren Poole, Nick Parsons) from the University of Waterloo, The University of British Columbia, and Rio Tinto for their support and insight. The accepted version of the paper can be found on ResearchGate: https://lnkd.in/ezrS5mxB #MaterialsScience #AluminumAlloys #MentorshipMatters #Metallurgy #FiniteElementModeling University of Waterloo Faculty of Engineering MIT Department of Materials Science and Engineering (DMSE) Massachusetts Institute of Technology UBC Materials Engineering

This one hit home. I recently came across a new 20-year study showing that participants in NIH's Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) and Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (RISE) programs were more than twice as likely to earn a Ph.D. compared with similarly qualified peers. I didn't need a study to tell me the impact of MARC. I lived it. As a MARC Scholar, I was given something that every aspiring scientist deserves: the opportunity to see myself as a researcher. The program provided mentorship, research experience, professional development, and exposure to scientific careers, transforming what I believed was possible. That experience set me on a path that ultimately led me to earn my Ph.D. in Microbiology from Yale University. When people talk about workforce development programs, it's easy to reduce them to line items in a budget. But behind every statistic is a person whose life trajectory changed because someone invested in their potential. Today, I carry those lessons with me in everything I do. Whether I'm working in science, health policy, or advocating for stronger pathways into biomedical careers, I know firsthand that investing in talented students pays dividends for decades. Programs like MARC don't just produce scientists. They expand opportunity, strengthen the biomedical workforce, and ensure that the next generation of researchers brings the diverse perspectives needed to tackle our biggest public health challenges. https://lnkd.in/e_kWT9eA #STEM #BiomedicalResearch #MARC #NIH #Microbiology #Yale #ScienceMatters #Mentorship #HealthEquity #WorkforceDevelopment

Glad to contribute to yet another deserving student’s success in the journey of #mentorship. The co-author, Kargi, was a recent undergraduate from the University of Arizona when she approached me for research mentoring after attending one of my talks. Our chapter, "LLMs and XAI: Use Cases, Dependency, and Challenges", is now published in Explainable #ArtificialIntelligence for Trustworthy Decisions in Smart Applications on Springer Nature. This chapter explores how #LLMs are reshaping data analysis, prediction, and automation, but also discusses the critical need for #ExplainableAI (#XAI) in their use to ensure accountability, fairness, and transparency across high-impact sectors like #healthcare, #finance, #education, and #autonomous systems. From techniques like SHAP, LIME, and counterfactual reasoning, to navigating ethical challenges in each sector, this work highlights how we can make LLMs more understandable, trustworthy, and reliable for all stakeholders.  I'm excited to see where Kargi Chauhan’s passion and hard work take her in the world of #research! Read the full chapter here: https://lnkd.in/gVWq9Z5t  #AIethics #AIresearch #Innovation #TechForGood #MentorshipMatters #AcademicJourney #STEM

Back when I was an undergrad student in India, I sometimes used to struggle with my studies and finding my passion. On some days, I used to think maybe engineering wasn't even for me. I even failed a class, something which I never did up until that point in time. The way engineering is taught, from rote memorization to regurgitating them in exams, was something I could barely cope with. But, in my second year of college, there was a professor, who was a little different. He had this zeal for the field and was determined to revamp the entire education system. He truly wanted to change how engineering is taught in the country. He was so passionate, that he used to even spend his own money to bring projects for us students to try out. Now able to implement the knowledge hands-on, I started to enjoy learning. I even built a Tesla coil: an incredibly difficult feat to achieve with limited resources, which even got recognized by the state Chief Minister at that time! That's when I realised: that maybe it isn't the field of engineering I have an issue with, maybe it's the way it's been taught. Many years later, and having worked with cutting-edge technology at various places like Tesla and Aurora, I look back on my journey and feel so glad that I had a professor who was enthusiastic and passionate about letting us experiment and actually put theories to test. I've learned that having the right guidance can make an immeasurable difference when navigating new and uncharted territories in life. Don't lose hope, especially when you feel that you might not be where you're meant to be. Seek out mentors and educators who share your enthusiasm and can help you unlock your full potential. With dedication and the right support, you can pave your own path to success and fulfillment. 😊 #FindingYourPath #NeverGiveUp #Education #Mentorship

Welcome to the next installment in "The One Where I Say Thank You", this one dedicated to the Brooke Owens Fellowship. From my internship as part of the class of 2018, to continued engagement with the community seven years later, the impact of the Fellowship on my journey cannot be understated. What makes the BOF extraordinary is the day-to-day support system it creates. I have a group of peers I message daily—sharing everything from technical questions to salary negotiation strategies to celebration of wins both big and small. These aren't just professional contacts; they've become trusted friends who understand exactly what I'm experiencing, because they're on similar journeys as well. Perhaps most transformative has been how the Fellowship opened my eyes to career paths I hadn't even considered. Through conversations with mentors and fellow Brookies working across different parts of aerospace, I discovered opportunities that aligned perfectly with my skills and passions, but weren't on my radar before. Research consistently shows that supportive communities where members share similar identities and experiences are crucial for retention and advancement. A 2019 study found that women in STEM who have access to mentorship networks and affinity groups report significantly higher job satisfaction and are more likely to remain in their fields long-term. As a Fellow from one of the earlier classes, I can also speak to the power of programs like this to help fix the so-called 'broken rung'. McKinsey & Company's Women in the Workplace research identified the "broken rung" phenomenon—for every 100 men promoted to manager, only 86 women achieve the same advancement . This disparity creates a bottleneck that affects the entire leadership pipeline. This is where communities like Brooke Owens Fellowship become transformative. By providing mentorship, peer support, and access to senior leaders who understand these challenges, the Fellowship works to mend that rung. The most powerful resource for overcoming barriers isn't individual grit—it's community. It's having people who see your potential even when others might miss it, who celebrate your victories as their own, and who help you navigate the unwritten rules of advancement. For anyone feeling isolated in their professional journey: seek your community. Whether it's the Brooke Owens Fellowship or another supportive network, these connections aren't just nice to have—they're essential infrastructure for building the leadership our industry needs.

🌊 What if I told you that transforming diversity in an entire scientific field coul start with $900? In our latest Science with Impact newsletter, meet Dr. Checo Colon-Gaud—the researcher who was asked "Do you see people like you here?" and then spent 15 years building the answer. His journey from six undergraduate students to nearly 10% of conference representation offers a replicable roadmap for any researcher wondering: "What can I actually do about diversity in my field?" The short answer: Start with what you have. Prove impact. Ask your professional society for support. Build for generations. These programs (Instars and Emerge) have now inspired similar initiatives across multiple aquatic sciences societies—proof that individual faculty members can catalyze systemic change when they refuse to accept the status quo. This isn't just an inspiring story. It's a practical framework for leveraging professional societies as platforms for change, maintaining momentum during uncertain funding climates, and creating authentic mentorship that sustains careers. Read the full case study in this month's newsletter ☺️ #BroaderImpacts #NSF #DiversityInSTEM #ResearchLeadership #ScienceMentorship