Mentoring has the power to shape who stays, succeeds, and thrives in science, yet many mentors have never received formal training on how social identity, lived experience, and systemic inequities influence mentoring relationships. To address this gap, the SI-MI Mentoring (Social Identity Matters in Mentoring) Program has been developed by a cross-Society group of plant scientists at all career stages, with guidance and feedback from mentoring experts at CIMER and Movement Consulting.
This is a free, online training aimed to help plant scientists be more effective mentors, emphasizing how social identity impacts the mentoring relationship. Through guided readings, reflective homework, and live virtual discussions, participants will explore how identity, power, and culture shape mentoring interactions in academic and professional environments.
Key topics include:
- Color-evasive practices in academia
- Engaging in impactful mentor-mentee conversations
- Shifting from a deficit-based to an asset-based mindset
- Intersectionality in mentoring relationships
- Developing greater cultural awareness
Participants will leave the course with practical tools and strategies they can apply immediately in their mentoring relationships.
Course Schedule
- Dates: August 28 – November 20, 2026
- Format: Seven biweekly virtual sessions
- Session Length: 1.5 hours each
- Additional Commitment: Approximately 1 hour of pre-work per session
Applications are now open – but space is limited! Please sign up using this form by Friday, July 20. We will notify you of the status of your application by July 31.
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