Hidden Players of Ethical Mentoring for Women Graduate Students and Faculty in Science and Engineering

• In Event: Exploring Issues of Diversity and Underrepresentation in Engineering Education Research

Abstract

The relationship between a faculty-advisor and a graduate student is an important factor in the persistence and retention of students. A dynamic, emotionally connected, and reciprocal relationship between students and faculty, such as an ethical mentorship, can reveal hidden expectations in the research culture that could hinder a productive research relationship. In this study, graduate students and faculty were interviewed to explore how ethical mentoring and hidden norms/expectations shape the perceptions of research relationships among underrepresented women in Science and Engineering. While both graduate students and faculty demonstrated awareness of these implicit expectations, their strategies to mitigate relationship dysfunction revealed faculty preferred to be cognizant of the relational power imbalance and students preferred effective communication to clarify hidden expectations.

Authors

• Laura Gelles, Utah State University

• Idalis Villanueva, Utah State University

• Marialuisa Di Stefano, Utah State University