STEM postdoc mentoring: a social exchange theory-based conceptual framework

ABSTRACT

Building on empirical research that examines the mentoring experiences of minoritized postdocs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, the researchers conceptualized a framework to cultivate inclusive, supportive, and mutually beneficial mentoring relationships among faculty mentors or Principal Investigators (PIs) and postdocs. The paper begins with an introduction to the STEM postdoc landscape, reviews relevant literature, and leverages data from 31 STEM postdocs at a research-intensive university in the southeast United States to introduce a conceptual framework that sheds light on and expands our understanding of STEM faculty-postdoc mentoring. The paper concludes with practical implications for improving STEM postdoc mentoring in research and practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Mentoring
• STEM
• postdocs
• faculty
• higher education
• diversity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

¹ In the context of this paper, ‘minoritized’ refers to women, people of color, and international postdocs.

² The researchers developed this framework with in-person, on-campus, postdoc-faculty mentoring relationships in mind. Therefore, this framework does not discuss online mentoring or programmatic mentoring needs and challenges, though such a framework is equally critical.

³ Molm’s (2006) social exchange framework describes three types of social exchanges that occur in various relationships: direct exchange (mentor and mentee receive something from the exchange), generalized exchange (mentee receives a direct cost expended by the mentor), and productive exchange (two or more participants collaborate on a project to benefit all involved. Additional information about the framework is provided in the methods section.

⁴ Jabareen (2009) defined a conceptual framework as a network or ‘plane’ of interlinked concepts that together provide a comprehensive understanding of phenomenon or phenomena.