Recognizing the importance of nurturing researchers’ professional and personal development for their career progression, IBRO collaborates with a number of partners on various international and regional mentorship initiatives.
World Women in Neuroscience, a US-based non-profit organization and long-standing partner of IBRO, aims to improve career advancement in neuroscience for women in all regions of the world. Faced with the challenge of supporting scientists around the globe, WWN has recently launched two new initiatives with the support of IBRO.
Scientific and Career Mentoring Platform
The Scientific and Career Mentoring Platform is a complement to WWN’s established program of career development webinars, mentoring circles and symposia.
The platform is designed to facilitate mentoring around the world, thanks to a tailored program that aims to match mentors and mentees on the basis of a wide-ranging number of compatibility points.
Mentees can benefit from support, guidance and mentor championship, with the potential for mentor-mentee relationships to spark longer term collaborations. The platform is tailored to women but men who are experiencing significant disadvantages are also welcome to sign up.
Through the platform, WWN is aiming to expand the role of mentors, to offer support in a holistic manner, encompassing not only scientific topics but also more personal aspects such as work-life balance, self-care or tactics for dealing with microaggressions.
To benefit from the mentoring program, all users must sign up as a WWN member, answer a series of matching criteria covering aspects such as career status, field of study, topics of interest (e.g. technical issues, career advancement skills) and identify areas in which they are seeking (or could provide) advice or guidance.
The platform’s algorithm attributes a score to each of the matching criteria, to identify the closest match. Mentees are then able to select a mentor, and following acceptance, they can begin their mentoring journey. All participants are encouraged to make use of the comprehensive resources developed by WWN to support the mentoring process, and can also use a journal within the platform to keep track of discussions and goals.
WWN’s mentoring platform was launched in April 2023 and is already attracting high levels of interest. The organization is committed to ensuring the platform remains as helpful and relevant as possible, and welcomes suggestions for new topics or functions from users. Visit the platform today to find out how you can benefit from this exciting new tool!
Speaker’s Bureau
When signing up to the mentoring platform, users may also sign up to the WWN Speaker’s Bureau, another initiative brought in collaboration with IBRO. The purpose of this directory is to raise the profile of faculty around the globe, and provide a resource for event or conference organizers looking to broaden their speaker pools. You can find more information about the Speaker’s Bureau here. Should you be interested in registering for the Speaker’s Bureau, WWN is receiving submissions here.
Discover further mentoring initiatives supported by IBRO
IBRO-USCRC Undergraduate Summer Programs for Underrepresented Groups: provides students with mentoring opportunities to explore different areas of research and other career paths, as well as enhance their soft skills.
ALBA mentoring circles: this event series developed by IBRO’s partner, the ALBA Network, provides participants with a safe space to discuss topics that have an impact on their academic career, including themes related to leadership and diversity and inclusion.
Scholarships to Enhance and Empower Diversity: this career development coaching program aims to increase the transition to and the retention of diverse early career neuroscientists in faculty positions. A one-week intensive workshop is followed by six to ten months of mentoring focused on the preparation of grant applications.
The BNA Scholars Programme supports students and early career researchers from underrepresented ethnic groups to thrive in neuroscience, and to build a supportive community through networking opportunities, bursaries and mentorship.