# Presentation: 670668

## Results of Survey on the Mentoring Component:  May 2006 

- Northern Plains Area
- Dr. Will Blackburn
- Ms. Barbara King

## Survey

- Four versions:
- Protégé, 25 questions, 82% return rate
- Mentor, 25 questions, 88% return rate
- RL of Protégé, 6 questions, 86% return rate
- RL of Mentor, 6 questions, 37% return rate
- Average completion time estimated at less than 15 minutes

## Survey Results:  Protégé  

- 86% reported no conflicting advice between mentor and RL
- 86% say mentor has been helpful in transition issues
- 86% say mentor has helped them see ARS as long-term career
- 72% say their RL is somewhat or very supportive of the mentoring program

## Results: Protégé, cont’d

- High rates of satisfaction in discussions with their mentors about:
-  career planning, ARS structure, ARS research expectations, and collegiality
- Advice on balancing work and family:
-  most useful from mentors (72%);
- then Location staff (64%);
- and lastly RLs (28%)
- Other location scientists and RLs most useful in helping to develop research plans

## Results: Protégé, cont’d

- Pressing concerns included:
- administrative duties
- Identifying their role at the location/RU/ARS
- Preparing the first case report
- Other comments:
- Excellent; worthwhile; wonderful
- Post-doc experience with ARS very helpful
- Not as helpful due to different research interests

## Results: Protégé, cont’d

- Learned of the job vacancy from:
- someone at the location – 50%
- USA jobs – 29%
- Faculty adviser – 7%
- other sources – 14%
- scientific journals – 0%

## Results: Mentors

- ALL have enjoyed their role and nearly all (94%) think they have been very useful to their protégé
- 94% like the current structure
- 56% said they have gained new technical knowledge through their protégé
- 31% said they would like required training

## Results: Mentors

- General comments:
- Keep it informal
- It’s very good – keep it as it is
- Different locations and great distances hinder building a strong relationship
- Would have liked to have this program 20 years ago
- Should include post-docs

## Results: Protégé RLs

- 100% have discussed the program with their new SY
- 75% say the program has been useful
- 92% are not concerned about their advice conflicting with that of the mentor

## Survey Results: Protégé RLs

- General Comments:
- Concerned that the mentor has not contacted me
- Mentor not that helpful since I am open with the new SY
- Seems to be working well
- Should be optional
- Mentoring is a RL’s job

## Survey Results: all four groups

- Mobility:
- Majority of mentors and RLs, and 45% of protégés live more than 1000 miles from their home town;
- Time commitment:
- Nearly all protégés, mentors and protégé RLs said that mentoring activities did not take too much time

## Survey Results: all four groups

- Who helped in integrating to first ARS worksite:
- _Protégés_: technical and clerical staff and other location scientists most helpful
- _Mentors_: other location scientists most helpful, with technical and clerical staff and RL second most helpful
- _Protégé RL_: RL most helpful, then other location scientists, then clerical, then technical
- _Mentor RL_: Clerical staff, RL, technical staff, and other location scientists all about equally helpful

## Lessons learned

- Overall, high satisfaction from protégés and mentors
- RLs of protégés find the program useful but some resistance exists
- Expand Mentoring Guides to include a training component for mentors and proteges
- Investigate ways to improve location and community integration
- Re-visit recruitment methods
- AO very satisfied with the program