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Thu, Aug 30 2012 13:39:14

Education

#ECRchat on Finding a Good Mentor 30/08/2012

The discussion topic for this chat was "finding a good mentor", hosted by Liz Gloyn (@lizgloyn).

  1. Liz kicked us off today with the introductions, and posed some questions along the way to help guide the discussion.
  2. lizgloyn
    Liz Gloyn@lizgloyn
    Good morning #ecrchat - welcome to today's chat, which is on finding a good mentor! I'll be your host for today.
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:00:52
  3. lizgloyn
    Liz Gloyn@lizgloyn
    #ecrchat Please take a moment to introduce yourselves, say where you're working and what stage of the ECR journey you're at.
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:01:14
  4. snarkyphd
    Hazel Ferguson@snarkyphd
    Hi again #ECRchat ers! I’m an Aussie postdoc working on cultural politics of alt food systems. Phd completed 2010, grad 2011.
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:04:41
  5. KL_Wheat
    Katie Wheat@KL_Wheat
    Hi all, Katie here, 6 months into my first postdoc (2 yr contract) in Maastricht #ECRchat
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:03:20
  6. cheeryresearch
    cheerful researcher@cheeryresearch
    Hi all, Jenni here, 2.5 years into first job at research unit in UK (but only out of PhD for a year) #ECRchat
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:10:03
  7. We started by thinking about the skills and knowledge our ideal mentor would have.
  8. lizgloyn
    Liz Gloyn@lizgloyn
    Q1. What do you want from a mentor? What skills, knowledge, competence and information do you need to move ahead in your career? #ecrchat
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:05:01
  9. KL_Wheat
    Katie Wheat@KL_Wheat
    @lizgloyn Re. Q1, for me a mentor should be someone who has an eye on my current and future interests, who helps guide my career #ECRchat
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:06:30
  10. KL_Wheat
    Katie Wheat@KL_Wheat
    @lizgloyn Skills and knowledge wise they should be able to connect me to relevant people and be aware of potential pitfalls #ECRchat
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:07:48
  11. snarkyphd
    Hazel Ferguson@snarkyphd
    #ECRchat Q1. Tacit knowledge. A mentor to access to all the knowledge you otherwise have to pick up through trial and error.
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:09:04
  12. lizgloyn
    Liz Gloyn@lizgloyn
    @snarkyphd #ecrchat What kind of knowledge specifically? About the uni environment, publishing, research grants, teaching...?
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:11:51
  13. snarkyphd
    Hazel Ferguson@snarkyphd
    @lizgloyn #ECRChat yes, knowledge about how to be an academic. Eg. don’t have to do everything journal reviewers request.
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:14:02
  14. cheeryresearch
    cheerful researcher@cheeryresearch
    #ECRchat re Q1, someone to talk to about longer term goals, publishing, conferences etc who is outside my day job so has no vested interest
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:12:40
  15. snarkyphd
    Hazel Ferguson@snarkyphd
    @cheeryresearch ohhh yes, someone above the day to day politics of the workplace! #ECRchat
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:16:20
  16. lizgloyn
    Liz Gloyn@lizgloyn
    @cheeryresearch How far outside the day job do you think makes sense? Still an academic, or entirely other? #ecrchat
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:15:37
  17. KL_Wheat
    Katie Wheat@KL_Wheat
    @lizgloyn new PI is expert in my current research method (TMS), but not at all in my specific field of research (language) #ECRchat
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:17:12
  18. lizgloyn
    Liz Gloyn@lizgloyn
    RT @snarkyphd: interesting, see I’d be happy with someone outside my field, who wouldn’t necessarily have useful connections. #ecrchat
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:13:59
  19. KL_Wheat
    Katie Wheat@KL_Wheat
    RT @snarkyphd "I’d be happy with someone outside my field" < what I have now, and trying to decide if it will work #ECRchat
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:14:15
  20. snarkyphd
    Hazel Ferguson@snarkyphd
    @KL_Wheat #ECRchat more about personality for me, mutual respect, ways of working etc. have had both. No mentor at the moment though.
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:15:28
  21. We also discussed what characteristics a mentor should have.
  22. lizgloyn
    Liz Gloyn@lizgloyn
    Q2. What characteristics do you think a mentor should have? Which are most important? What other factors matter? #ecrchat
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:11:01
  23. snarkyphd
    Hazel Ferguson@snarkyphd
    @lizgloyn #ECRChat q2. Varies for each person, need to have a good rapport. Good communication skills, honesty, experience, self-reflexivity
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:18:41
  24. KL_Wheat
    Katie Wheat@KL_Wheat
    @lizgloyn Re. Q2, Difficult to say, but I think a certain amount of patience is nice, but also the ability to be honest and firm #ECRchat
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:13:04
  25. lizgloyn
    Liz Gloyn@lizgloyn
    #ecrchat Some possible mentoring characteristics: can teach/communicate; wide network; willing to share experience; can advise & withdraw.
    Thu, Aug 30 2012 03:17:30

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Katie Wheat

Postdoc in psychology and cognitive neuroscience, researching visual word recognition. Likes MEG, TMS, fMRI, reading, waffles, and motorbiking. #ECRchat

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