No surprise to persons working in this area, the literature predicts the results of the MIT study. I also spoke with a number of women scientists, who like myself, now work with organizations supporting science. As I reviewed our discussions, several common observations emerged that individuals and institutions might do well to study more systematically. A few examples are provided below. Mentors help optimize funding searches, develop publication strategies, maximize exposure by facilitating invitations to key meetings, and advise on career moves.
Institutions can formalize some aspects of mentoring.
For instance, they can organize workshops on the tenure process or funding opportunities, or provide mid-tenure reviews that detail an individual's realistic chances of achieving tenure. I do not think their explanation is merely a case of blaming the victim. Mentors and trainees both must take an active part in mentoring. Letters of Recommendation . Letters of recommendation are crucially important at every career stage.