T hink back.
Whether you are a graduate student, an early or mid-career professional, or a senior earth scientist, chances are you can think of at least one person who made a tangible, positive difference in your professional life. A mentor opens a door or a window, providing a boost when you need it, or a glimpse of your unrecognized potential, or an option you never considered. A mentor expands your world by sharing experiences. I could parenthetically litter the examples above with the names of at least a dozen people whose mentorship made differences, great and small, in my professional life. I am sorely tempted to do so, because each deserves recognition and thanks, but the list is too long.