The power of junior faculty mentoring committees

doi:10.1002/jcp.31360

Review

. 2024 Jul;239(7):e31360.

doi: 10.1002/jcp.31360. Epub 2024 Jul 4.

The power of junior faculty mentoring committees

Debra D Murray¹, Clintoria R Williams², Jennifer A Gaddy^{3

4

5

6}, Crystal D Rogers⁷, Annet Kirabo^{8

9

10

11}, Monica M Santisteban⁸, Celestine N Wanjalla¹², Edith M Williams¹³, Mariya T Sweetwyne¹⁴, Steven M Damo^{15

16}, Sandra A Murray¹⁷, Donna Stokes¹⁸, Antentor Hinton Jr¹⁹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
² Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Physiology, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA.
³ Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
⁴ Department of Medicine Health and Society, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
⁵ Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
⁶ Department of Veterans Affairs, Tennessee Valley Healthcare Systems, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
⁷ Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Cell Biology, University of California, Davis, California, USA.
⁸ Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
⁹ Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
¹⁰ Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
¹¹ Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
¹² Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
¹³ Department of Public Health Sciences (SMD), University of Rochester, New York, Rochester, USA.
¹⁴ Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
¹⁵ Department of Life and Physical Sciences, Fisk University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
¹⁶ Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University Nashville, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
¹⁷ Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
¹⁸ Department of Physics, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
¹⁹ Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

PMID: 38962842
PMCID: PMC11600317
DOI: 10.1002/jcp.31360

Review

The power of junior faculty mentoring committees

Debra D Murray et al. J Cell Physiol. 2024 Jul.

. 2024 Jul;239(7):e31360.

doi: 10.1002/jcp.31360. Epub 2024 Jul 4.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
² Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Physiology, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA.
³ Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
⁴ Department of Medicine Health and Society, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
⁵ Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
⁶ Department of Veterans Affairs, Tennessee Valley Healthcare Systems, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
⁷ Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Cell Biology, University of California, Davis, California, USA.
⁸ Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
⁹ Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
¹⁰ Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
¹¹ Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
¹² Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
¹³ Department of Public Health Sciences (SMD), University of Rochester, New York, Rochester, USA.
¹⁴ Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
¹⁵ Department of Life and Physical Sciences, Fisk University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
¹⁶ Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University Nashville, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
¹⁷ Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
¹⁸ Department of Physics, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
¹⁹ Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

PMID: 38962842
PMCID: PMC11600317
DOI: 10.1002/jcp.31360

Abstract

Junior faculty mentoring committees have important roles in ensuring that faculty thrive and adjust to their new positions and institutions. Here, we describe the purpose, structure, and benefits of junior faculty mentoring committees, which can be a powerful tool for early-career academic investigators in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medical (STEMM) fields. There is a paucity of information about what mentoring committees are, how to use them effectively, what areas they should evaluate, and how they can most successfully help junior faculty progress in their careers. This work offers guidance for both junior faculty mentees and mentoring committee members on how to best structure and utilize mentoring committees to promote junior faculty success. A better understanding of the intricacies of the mentoring committee will allow junior faculty members to self-advocate and will equip committee mentors with tools to ensure that junior faculty are successful in thriving in academia.

Keywords: collaboration; junior faculty; mentee; mentor; mentoring committee.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

**FIGURE 1**
Sample timeline and examples for mentoring committees and faculty mentees.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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References

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1. Campbell CM, Jimenez M, & Arrozal CAN (2019). Prestige or education: College teaching and rigor of courses in prestigious and non-prestigious institutions in the U.S. Higher Education, 77(4), 717–738. 10.1007/s10734-018-0297-3 - DOI
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[1] Ahmed M, Muldoon TJ, & Elsaadany M (2021). Employing faculty, peer mentoring and coaching to increase the self-confidence and belongingness of first-generation college students in biomedical engineering. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, 143, 143. 10.1115/1.4051844 - DOI - PubMed

[2] Ahmed M, Muldoon TJ, & Elsaadany M (2021). Employing faculty, peer mentoring and coaching to increase the self-confidence and belongingness of first-generation college students in biomedical engineering. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, 143, 143. 10.1115/1.4051844 - DOI - PubMed

[3] Allen-Ramdial S-AA, & Campbell AG (2014). Reimagining the pipeline: Advancing STEM diversity, persistence, and success. Bioscience, 64(7), 612–618. 10.1093/biosci/biu076 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[4] Allen-Ramdial S-AA, & Campbell AG (2014). Reimagining the pipeline: Advancing STEM diversity, persistence, and success. Bioscience, 64(7), 612–618. 10.1093/biosci/biu076 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[5] Beath C, Chan Y, Davison RM, Dennis AR, & Recker JC (2021). Editorial board diversity at the basket of eight journals: A report to the college of senior scholars. Communications of the Association for Information Systems: CAIS, 48. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/348406763_Editorial_Board_Diver...

[6] Beath C, Chan Y, Davison RM, Dennis AR, & Recker JC (2021). Editorial board diversity at the basket of eight journals: A report to the college of senior scholars. Communications of the Association for Information Systems: CAIS, 48. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/348406763_Editorial_Board_Diver...

[7] Campbell CM, Jimenez M, & Arrozal CAN (2019). Prestige or education: College teaching and rigor of courses in prestigious and non-prestigious institutions in the U.S. Higher Education, 77(4), 717–738. 10.1007/s10734-018-0297-3 - DOI

[8] Campbell CM, Jimenez M, & Arrozal CAN (2019). Prestige or education: College teaching and rigor of courses in prestigious and non-prestigious institutions in the U.S. Higher Education, 77(4), 717–738. 10.1007/s10734-018-0297-3 - DOI

[9] Chaudhary VB, & Berhe AA (2020). Ten simple rules for building an antiracist lab. PLoS Computational Biology, 16(10), e1008210. 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008210 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[10] Chaudhary VB, & Berhe AA (2020). Ten simple rules for building an antiracist lab. PLoS Computational Biology, 16(10), e1008210. 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008210 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

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The power of junior faculty mentoring committees

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The power of junior faculty mentoring committees

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