Lessons Learned from a Cross-Institutional Environmental Engineering and Science Faculty-to-Faculty Mentoring Program

A cross-institutional faculty mentoring program was initiated by the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors to support junior faculty. Across three cohorts, 117 junior-faculty mentees and 68 senior-faculty mentors have participated in this program. The second cohort was asked to complete a written survey to assess the program through collection of quantitative and qualitative data. Mentees reported that university type, personality, research area, and parental status were important characteristics in their mentors; however, the mentors had less specific preferences. Both mentees and mentors generally agreed upon the importance of various areas of growth and satisfaction with the program. Suggestions for future iterations of the program included additional program structure.