Conference: Science Research and Mentoring Program Consortium Conference (SRMPCon)

The American Museum of Natural History will host the Science Research Mentoring Program Conference (SRMPCon) designed as an opportunity to exchange ideas and strategies centered on evidence-based, inclusive, research-focused mentorship for underrepresented minority youth. Particularly for youth who have been historically underrepresented in STEM, effective mentorship can lead to the development of a STEM identity, confidence in STEM learning, and a sense of belonging in STEM fields. Many education programs across the U.S. offer mentored research experiences to underrepresented minority high school youth, but they often operate in isolation, limiting the exchange of strategies for fostering inclusive mentorship environments. Through this conference, participants will have the opportunity to increase their knowledge about ways of improving their mentorship programs.

Over three meetings (two virtual sessions and one in-person three-day conference held at the American Museum of Natural History) participants will explore the institutional drivers that shape mentorship in their programs and will design concrete strategies that build on collective assets to address institutional barriers. Conference participants will include program administrators, scientist mentors, and science educators working within structured research mentorship programs for high school students who are historically underrepresented in STEM. SRMPCon will produce reports on the proceedings from an external evaluator and will compile the initiatives and strategies created by participants. These results will be disseminated widely in collaboration with the Partners for Network Improvement team at STEM PUSH, an NSF INCLUDES Alliance (NSF #1930990). This conference aims to shift institutional priorities to recognize the value of mentorship and cultivate environments that encourage evidence-based, inclusive mentorship, serving to diversify the workforce and bring valuable perspectives to STEM fields.