Document the inclusion of specific activities directed toward these two functions in the COACh mentoring model. A large portion of the research will be conducted at three different types of meetings, the COACh advisory group meetings, the COACh Skills Development Workshops and the Networking Receptions. In addition, surveys will be conducted by mail and email to gather information from faculty at large. Despite the critical importance of mentoring to career development, writing has been primarily anecdotal in this area and little systematic research has been done. Furthermore, models for mentoring are predominantly from the business arena, where the issues and concerns are very different from those of women in the academic sciences.
Research clearly is needed on mentoring for women in the chemical sciences.
External barriers include gender and occupational stereotyping, discrimination in education and the workplace, and lack of access to role models and mentors. The latter is particularly important to women in the male-dominated fields of science and engineering. In general, women scientists report that networks, peer groups, and mentors are crucial for success. Career Functions focus on pragmatic strategies for inculcating professional norms and practices and advancing the mentee s career. This includes assisting the mentee in such activities as making contact with top authorities in a discipline, learning how to behave in a variety of professional settings, implementing long-term career planning, becoming involved in joint projects with mentors, and obtaining support for one s research.