Impact of Culturally Aware Mentoring Interventions on Research Mentors and Graduate Training Programs

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Project Summary/Abstract Isolated. Presumed incompetent. Invisible. These terms describe the experiences of many historically underrepresented (HU) faculty and students at predominantly White research-intensive universities. Add to this the too-frequent burden of being the “only” person of color in a department. The well-documented evidence of bias, racial stereotypes and institutional barriers is often ignored. This dire situation partially results from learned behaviors that can be unlearned. An effective research mentoring relationship prepares future scientists to pursue research careers, and thus is a ripe target for intervention. The Culturally Aware Mentoring (CAM) intervention equips research mentors with the understanding and skills required to effectively mentor emerging HU scientists. The CAM curriculum consists of a preparatory online module followed by a full-day, face-to-face training. Preliminary data demonstrate increases in mentors' knowledge of cultural diversity and willingness to broach topics such as racism and stereotype threat, and results in changes in mentoring practices evident 12- 18 months later. Further research is needed to determine the mechanisms and mode by which CAM may be most impactful. The proposed research responds to the pressing need for graduate faculty to employ inclusive, evidence-based mentoring practices to improve the environment for HU students in NIH research areas and create the cultural shift in academic departments called for by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The proposed research addresses two Specific Aims: Aim 1: Determine the impact of CAM mentor training interventions on research mentors by dosage and format. We use the Theory of Planned Behavior, to focus on what formats/dosages effectively produce individual change in mentoring practice and behavioral outcomes and why observed changes occur. The mixed methods design uses quantitative methods to measure attitude and behavior change, along with qualitative data to explain the underlying mechanisms for behavioral changes. Aim 2: Identify the conditions for broader institutional impact of CAM interventions in departments with graduate training programs. We use organizational learning theory to focus on how new knowledge introduced into graduate programs via participation in full-day CAM training results in broader change in diversity outcomes and department practices. Case studies and survey data will identify why CAM interventions catalyze program change for diversity and inclusion in some contexts and not others. The impact of the proposed study will be to advance the science of mentoring by gaining deep insights into how full-day CAM training leads to strong positive responses observed to date, and whether shorter variations can be equally effective, expanding its potential reach. For the first time, we will generate new insights into the potential spread of CAM to affect graduate environments so critical to the success of diverse rising scientists.