Leaders in effective and inclusive STEM: Twenty years of the Institute for Scientist & Engineer Educators

In this paper, we explore how core principles of the mentoring training offered by the Institute for Scientist & Engineer Educators (ISEE) Professional Development Program (PDP) have been adopted by PDP alumni and applied in different contexts. The core themes of the mentoring work conducted by ISEE, which are Inquiry, Equity & Inclusion, and Assessment, form an extensible basis for PDP participants to use as they develop their own mentoring programs. The panel/paper is structured to briefly identify core components of mentoring in the PDP model and then discuss how former PDP participants have applied these in a variety of other venues. With the goal of broadening access & persistence in STEM, the PDP emphasized: the role of ownership and agency, the practice of explanations, the creation of opportunities for recognition, providing formative assessment, and a recognition of and introduction to STEM culture. The PDP has had a unique way of “staying with” participants and provided a framework for mentoring in other modalities including: peer-to-peer, informal, and in the development of new formal programs. These offshoots include key PDP ideas such as: providing support for belonging in STEM, placing value on teaching, promoting adaptability and cultural relevance, and a “training the trainers” modality of mentorship. The panelists will provide examples from programs for undergraduate students, graduate students, teaching professionals, and faculty. The session also provided opportunities for attendees to share their experiences and take-away lessons from the PDP model of mentoring and some of the panel feedback is included in this paper. The ISEE community has a shared vocabulary, toolset, and ethos that continues to inform alumni mentoring since the inception of the PDP.