University of Alberta Women in Science and Engineering
Overview
This year, UA-WiSE (University of Alberta Women in Science and Engineering) and WISER (Women in Science Engineering and Research) are hosting a mentorship program with both in-person and virtual events. The program aims to connect women and under-represented individuals in STEM fields with mentors who can help foster professional development and personal discovery.
Eligibility
We welcome all participants: undergraduate students, graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, young professionals and experienced professionals in STEM fields or with an interest in STEM fields. People of all genders are welcome to apply.
Program Structure
Each group consists of a professional who is well established in their field, a graduate student or early career professional, and an undergraduate student. This structure allows the graduate student or early-career professional to gain experience mentoring an undergraduate student under the supervision of an experienced mentor.
The program will run from October 2024 until March 2025 and will include three mandatory virtual events throughout the year:
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October 24, 2024: Introduction Event (Online)
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January 23, 2024: Professional development event (In Person)
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March 27, 2025: Professional development closing event (In Person)
All events will be held in the evening from 6 - 8:00 PM MT.
Optional Online Workshops:
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November 21, 2024, 19:00-20:00 MST - Resume Writing
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February 27, 2025, 19:00- 20:00 MST - Interview Skills
Commitment
Each mentorship trio are expected to meet every two months for at least two hours (or monthly for one hour).
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Events: Attend all 3 events throughout the year. If an event is missed, the time must be made up by the trio through additional independent meetings.
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Independent meetings: Trios are required to meet for a minimum of 4 hours outside of the program’s formal events. Arrangements for these meetings are to be decided within the trio, and all meetings must be completed before the last formal event. This year we encourage trios to complete at least 6 hours by April 4, 2025.
Mentees (i.e. Early-Career Professionals, Graduate Students (Master's and PhDs), Post-docs, Professional Students and Undergraduate Students) will be required to pay a non-refundable $25 deposit. For applicants with financial challenges, please contact uawise.wiser@gmail.com and we are more than happy to look into waiving the deposit.
Lean more and apply to be a mentee here.
Important Dates
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June 23, 2024: Application opens for mentors with ≥5 years of experience from academia, industry and government across North America
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August 18, 2024: Application closes for mentors with ≥5 years of experience
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TBD: Application opens for early-career professionals with ≤ 5 years of experience and undergraduate students
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TBD: Application closes for early-career professionals with ≤ 5 years of experience and undergraduate students
How to Apply
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Experienced mentors with ≥ 5 years of experience: Apply here.
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Early-career professionals with ≤ 5 years of experience and undergraduate students: Applications are now closed.
Program Benefits for Mentors
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Networking with other mentors at the three program events
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Connecting with the new generation of professionals across Canada
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Extending your network with early career professionals
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Improving your communication and leadership skills
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Giving back to the STEM community
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*Mentorship hours may count towards Professional Developments Credit (PDC) for APEGA and APCA members (Up to 20 PDC), and Graduate Student Professional Development Hours.
* Please confirm with the professional development hour policy with your organization as WiSER does not hold authority for PD credits.
Questions?
If you have any questions regarding the WiSER/UA-WiSE Mentorship Program, please contact uawise.wiser@gmail.com or visit our Eventbrite here to register or learn more.
Trio matching will be done by WiSER and UA-WiSE based on each mentor’s and mentee’s future goals and areas of expertise. The matching criteria focus on developing different professional skills such as professional conduct, negotiation skills, work-life balance, and more.