Resources

  • Summary
    This chapter reframes mentorship in STEMM as a professional working alliance focused on mentees’ holistic development through career and psychosocial support. It traces historical views of mentoring as an unstructured, hierarchical, one-to-one apprenticeship and contrasts them with contemporary perspectives that see mentoring as reciprocal, dynamic, and teachable, often occurring in networks rather than single dyads. The authors offer a formal definition of mentorship, distinguishing it from advising, coaching, role modeling, and sponsorship while noting that these functions can occur within mentoring relationships. They describe core effective behaviors (aligning expectations, communication, facilitating mentee agency, attending to equity and diversity) and outline stages of mentoring relationships. Finally, they introduce six theoretical models—ecological systems, social cognitive career, TIMSI, social exchange, social capital, and social network theories—to explain how mentoring processes shape identity, persistence, and outcomes in STEMM.

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Policy and Global Affairs; Board on Higher Education and Workforce; Committee on Effective Mentoring in STEMM; Dahlberg ML, Byars-Winston A, editors. The Science of Effective Mentorship in STEMM. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2019 Oct 30. 2, The Science of Mentoring Relationships: What Is Mentorship? Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK552775/ 

Here are some resources on mentorship. 

Introduction to Mentoring: A Guide for Mentors and Mentees.

  • Summary
    This APA guide presents mentoring as a developmental relationship in which a more experienced psychologist supports the professional growth, performance, and well-being of a mentee through career-related and psychosocial functions. It distinguishes “mentee” from “protégé,” outlines stages of mentoring (initiation, cultivation, separation, redefinition), and differentiates formal and informal mentoring structures, including key elements of effective programs such as clear goals, matching, training, and meeting guidelines. The guide emphasizes developmental networks in which mentees engage multiple mentors to meet diverse needs, and details common mentee needs, mentor roles, and relationship types. It also addresses etiquette, respect, ethical principles (beneficence, fidelity, integrity, justice, respect for rights), and potential problems, including boundary violations and exploitation.

The 21st Century Guide to Mentorship | Elizabeth Trinh | TEDxUofM

  • Summary
    Elizabeth Trinh’s TEDx talk frames mentorship as an active, everyday practice grounded in agency and human connection. Drawing from her journey as a Vietnamese immigrant and scholar, she shows how mentors emerged in unexpected forms—pediatricians, piano teachers, professors, family, peers, and students—and argues we must “cast widely” rather than wait for one perfect mentor. She urges listeners to “say yes” to both big and mundane tasks mentors offer, “give to get” by contributing time, presence, and vulnerability, and ultimately “look within,” since mentors help us formulate questions but cannot fight our battles. Mentorship, she concludes, is ubiquitous yet requires initiative; each person assembles a unique “mentorship mosaic” across contexts and life stages

An blog written by Melissa sharing their take on the top 10 TED Talks on mentorship on growthmentor. 

  • Summary
    This blog curates ten TED and TEDx talks that illuminate what effective mentorship is, why it matters, and how to practice it intentionally. Each talk is briefly profiled with speaker, date, focus, and “why we like it,” highlighting distinct angles: cultivating and sustaining mentors, being a great mentor, common mentoring mistakes, entrepreneurial mentoring, and different types of mentorship. Several talks stress mentee agency, the importance of learning from failure, and using mentorship to bridge generational gaps or support diverse workforces. Others emphasize power dynamics, centering mentee needs, and the life-changing effects of visibility, guidance, and hope. The blog ends by positioning GrowthMentor as a platform to build these kinds of developmental relationships in startup and marketing contexts.

  • Summary
    Hudson analyzes how conflicts arise and can be constructively addressed in mentor–mentee relationships during preservice teacher practicums. Using qualitative data from focus groups with 31 high school mentor teachers, he identifies three main conflict domains: personal (personality clashes, incompatible expectations), pedagogical (insufficient content knowledge, weak planning, classroom management), and professional (breaches of codes of conduct, social media misuse, inappropriate attire, unsuitability for teaching). The article outlines resolution strategies such as maintaining a positive but appropriately bounded professional relationship, giving regular and empathetic feedback, sharing responsibility for classroom problems, modeling expectations, and using third-party mediation when needed. Hudson concludes that more qualitative work is needed to build a repertoire of conflict-resolution strategies for mentoring.

Hudson, P. (2014). Conflicts and conflict resolution strategies in mentor-mentee relationships.

  • Though the context of this article is about mentoring in teaching, the recommendations for conflict resolution in mentorship are informative.

Sabrina L. Thurman. (2024, November). Help!: When Problems Arise in Mentoring Relationships. Center for Engaged Learning. Elon University.

  • Summary
    This blog offers concise guidance for navigating problems that inevitably arise in mentoring relationships, emphasizing that conflict is normal rather than a sign of failure. It explains that differences in goals, values, expectations, or communication styles can strain the relationship as it evolves over time. The author encourages mentors and mentees to address issues early through open dialogue, clarification of expectations, and revisiting shared purposes for the relationship. When direct resolution is difficult, the post suggests seeking support from third parties (such as program coordinators) and considering whether the relationship should be restructured or ended. Overall, it frames challenges as opportunities to strengthen mentoring practice and to promote more intentional, humane approaches to developmental relationships.