Stellar Guidance: Exploring the Dynamics of Postdoctoral Mentoring in Scientific Collaborative Communities of Practice

• In Event: Sunny Days or Stormy Skies? Navigating Mentorship, Leadership, and Workplace Climate in Higher Education

Abstract

This study examines the role of interdisciplinary communities of practice in shaping scientific collaboration, mentorship, and professional development within a newly designed postdoctoral fellowship program, Legacy of Survey of Space and Time (LSST) Discovery Alliance, which implements an intentionally collaborative cross-institution mentorship model for postdoctoral fellows in the astronomy, physics, data science, and social sciences. Utilizing Communities of Practice (CoP) as a framework, we examine how postdoctoral fellows are socialized through collaborative mentorship teams comprising interdisciplinary researchers. Findings highlight the crucial role that mentoring plays in shaping the knowledge exchange, social impact research trajectories, and professional growth of postdoctoral researchers. Mentorship can shape early career socialization, scientific collaboration, and possibilities for innovation.

Authors

• Lois Calian Trautvetter, Northwestern University

• Brenda L. Anderson, Northwestern University