Promoting diversity in STEM
A recent study on mentorship in engineering found that female undergraduates who had female mentors had more confidence and were more likely to stay in the field than those who had no mentors or male mentors. The difference was not tied to academic performance or amount of support—the critical factor, it seems, was a sense of belonging.
Venting about the failings of your graduate supervisor is a time-honored pastime. I indulged in it myself back in the day, despite the respect I have for my thesis adviser. Sometimes the vent describes something serious: No one, for example, should feel forced to tolerate harassment or abuse to get a degree. More often, though, the...
Curriculum vitae (CVs) tell the stories of the professional lives of university scientists, documenting their careers and showcasing their accomplishments. A well-crafted CV can help a job applicant land an interview--instead of having her materials shredded or buried in a file. The CV is no less important for scientists with tenure and no intention of changing jobs, because it is an essential part of any application for grants, awards, and promotions. It should, therefore, be kept up-to-date at every academic career stage.
