AADR Mentoring an Inclusive Network for a Diverse Research Workforce of the Future - MIND the Future.

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Abstract The AADR Mentoring an Inclusive Network for a Diverse Workforce of the Future (AADR MIND the Future) aims to develop a national and sustainable mentoring and mentor training network with educational activities and interactive opportunities across the network, between mentors and mentees within and beyond the home institutions to support the development of a diverse cadre of dental, oral and craniofacial researchers to advance the objectives of the NIDCR Strategic Plan and Strategic Priorities. Specific objectives of AADR MIND the Future are: to support the development of a diverse cadre of early career dental, oral and craniofacial researchers; to incorporate personal career development techniques for new investigators; to create a diverse national and sustainable mentoring and mentor training network; to develop a lasting educational plan based on existing paradigms in thematic domains – research/technical; career development/personal growth; and mentor-mentee interpersonal relationships; to enhance collaborations with a variety of institutions and organizations to sustain the network of diverse mentees, mentors and program alumni, who could eventually serve the program. The principle purpose of the network is to develop a national and sustainable mentoring program, which will be centrally administered by the AADR and will specifically facilitate a diverse pool of early career investigators, including those from groups identified as underrepresented in dental, oral and craniofacial research and transition to the next career stage and to develop a high quality independently funded research program. In the long term, this AADR program will engage mentor and mentees with the goal to guide individual career development as well as to improve the quality of mentoring at the home institution through dissemination of the lessons learned by mentors and mentees in the network. The AADR Mind the Future program is a national network of 11 universities and three organizations who will be intricately involved in the education of 10 new mentees each year for the five funding years and for each year’s alumni. The universities are organized into Eastern, Western, Southern and Midwest Hubs and include the two dental schools based in Historically Black Universities and Colleges. The three organizations that bring innovative aspects to the AADR Mind the Future program are the Oklahoma Center for Mentoring Excellence, the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, and the NIH National Research Mentoring Network. AADR is strongly positioned to implement the proposed national mentoring program with a focus on career development, diversity and inclusion.