Friday Funnies

When I attempt to explain my assay results to my PI:

NeXXT Scholars Program

As an undergraduate, I was involved with Macalester's Women in Science and Math student organization. One of our goals was to create a network of both Macalester community members and science alumna to support women majoring in math and science. So when I received an email the other week about the NeXXT Program, sponsored by the New York Academy of Sciences, I was excited to learn about a new opportunity to be involved in academic mentoring for the next generation. 

For the second year in a row, the US State Department, in collaboration with the New York Academy of Sciences, is sponsoring the NeXXT Scholars Program. This program aims to increase opportunities in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields for women in both the US and countries with predominantly Muslim populations. 

The Academy has paired with over 30 women's colleges in the United States to match incoming freshmen women pursuing a bachelors degree in a STEM academic field with an international counterpart. In addition to networking with each other and other NeXXT Scholars, both students are also paired individually with an established mentor in their field.

The mentor (a graduate student, postdoctoral scholar, or working professional) assists the scholar with career development, networking, and locating both research and skill building opportunities. Not only are the scholars able to serve as international ambassadors, but this program also helps them build skills they will need to become leaders in the respective fields. 

I am writing all of this because the NeXXT community is currently looking for female STEM professionals (particularly graduate students and postdocs). If this is something that is interesting to you, I highly encourage you to apply. The link for the mentor application can be found here. 

I chose to submit a mentor application for the NeXXT program, not only because I feel it's important to promote women in scientific fields, but also because I've had such positive experiences in a mentee role*.  Speaking from personal experiences, this type of relationship is invaluable. Not only have my mentors provided feedback on things related to science (coaching powerpoint presentations, acting as a sounding board for unusual experimental results, reading drafts of proposals, etc.) but many of them have also given me fantastic life advice. The most recent individual who took time to mentor me grew up in a similarly sized hometown and (like me) went to a liberal arts institution before attending graduate school in the Bay Area. When asked, he was always genuinely happy to offer advice on any topic, and having someone with a similar background certainly made my transition into graduate school much easier. I hope in time that I can provide the same level of encouragement to the next generation. 

*Though I was not involved in the NeXXT program as an undergraduate, I benefited from several fantastic mentors  during the course of my bachelors degree.