Mentees and Mentors

In the course of 2008-2009, 16 excellent female scientists took part in TANDEMplusIDEA, four each from the partner universities Imperial College London, TU Delft, ETH Zurich and RWTH Aachen. The mentees represented various fields of science and technology, with 2/3 coming from natural science and 1/3 coming from engineering. The group was also extremely international, not only because of the mentees’ affiliation to the four partner universities, but also with regard to the origin of the scientists who originally came from eleven nations.

At the same time, the group soon discovered similarities. There were interferences between the different disciplines, which made the participants think of potential scientific collaborations. They also exchanged information on professional and personal experiences and expectations, and last but not least, they “formed a strong community of friends” (one mentee). Evaluation results show that this peer mentoring among the group was especially successful and appreciated.

The mentors of TANDEMplusIDEA came from a wide range of subjects and countries. Both male and female researchers of high international reputation had agreed to be part of the programme and work together with our mentees. The mentoring tandems met at the TANDEMplusIDEA Networking Events, at conferences or individually arranged encounters. Besides, they were in contact through email, skype, or telephone. The personal exchange with a mentor has greatly contributed to the positive networking effects of the programme.