Biophysical Society Newsletter - January 2016

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BIOPHYSICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 19
JANUARY 2016
MollyCule
Is having a mentor important? How do I go about finding a
professional mentor?
Scientific mentorship is a critical part of career
development and professional success. In every
stage of a career, from undergraduates trying to
find a first research experience to established in-
vestigators and professionals working on the next
big idea, everyone needs help and advice. A men-
tor helps you understand how to advance in your
science and your career. A mentor provides advice
on how to find out about a new field or how to
navigate your own research area, and can help
if you get stuck. The kind of mentor you need
depends on your current educational or profes-
sional experience, your career goals, and the career
pathway you expect to take to achieve these goals.
As an example, students need to find supportive
mentors with whom they can communicate and
who can help them to be productive, publish
their research findings, and provide a springboard
towards their next step in the career ladder. Early
in your career, local mentorship within your
institution is critical, but as your career progresses
do not underestimate the value of keeping contact
with previous mentors or finding new mentors
outside of your current place of
employment. When considering possible men-
tors, research their publication record and make
certain that their laboratory is a productive
environment with the resources you will need to
accomplish your goals. There are many helpful
resources for scientific mentors and mentees that
cover every stage of a career that are freely avail-
able. Here are a few online resources to start with:
HHMI:
Educational%20Materials/Lab%20Management/
Making%20the%20Right%20Moves/moves2_
ch5.pdf
Nature:
ence/career_toolkit/mentoring
Universtiy of Michigan: .
pdf
The National Academies Press:
edu/catalog/5789/adviser-teacher-role-model-
friend-on-being-a-mentor-to
Biophysics Week is a global effort aimed at encouraging connections
within the biophysics community and raising awareness of the field
and its impact among the general public, policy makers, students, and
scientists in related fields.
Keep an eye out for upcoming events during this special week dedi-
cated to you and the field of biophysics. There will be daily activities,
news, publications, blogs, fun facts, and more.
Visit for updates
and to learn how you can get involved!