Why Mentoring Matters in Academia

I was devastated when I learned about the passing of my longtime research collaborator, Dr. William "Bill" Connick, Jr. on April 22, 2018. Bill was an amazing inorganic chemist, friend and mentor. More importantly, he was truly my "brother in inorganic chemistry." Academia can be a really difficult place to navigate for tenure-track faculty, and I certainly had my share of challenges. Bill was my staunch supporter and cheerleader when I needed it most. Although it is very important to have mentors and advocates at your own academic institution, I highly recommend that tenure-track faculty find mentors and advocates outside of their home institutions as well. External mentors can provide you with additional guidance and offer a different perspective on various matters. Furthermore, external mentors can serve as a sounding board for new research ideas and managing students. Bill served that important role for me. 

I first met Bill several years ago while attending an American Chemical Society National Meeting. At the time, I was a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry at Claflin University, an HBCU (Historically Black College and University) in Orangeburg, South Carolina. We briefly chatted about research in his laboratory and he told me that if I was interested in collaborations, I was welcome in his laboratory. As a result of that gracious invitation, I was thankful for two sabbatical research experiences in his laboratory, which led to three peer-reviewed articles published in the journal Acta Crystallographia. We continued our collaborations when I later joined the Department of Chemistry at the College of Wooster (Wooster, Ohio). When I was denied tenure, Bill provided genuine support while I tried to figure out my next career move. I remember when I sent him an email letting him know that I would be joining Lawrence Tech to lead the new Marburger STEM Center in 2016. He replied "AWESOME! CONGRATULATIONS! You are a star!"  I have never thought of myself as a star by any stretch of the imagination, but Bill's unwavering support was important for me to land on my feet again.  Rest in Chemistry Heaven my friend. #Thankful

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Finding Another Beautician

We all know that hair has always been a very big deal in the African American community. Finding the right beautician is just as important as finding the right shoes to match an outfit. It really does matter. Today, I decided to try a new beautician near my home for a quick blow dry and curl. When I arrived at the salon--on time--the salon was closed. I decided to call the beautician on her cell and she informed me she was about 10 minutes away. She actually showed up about 20 minutes later, but I was trying to give her a "pass" because the weather was a little nasty outside. While waiting, another young lady was waiting to see a different beautician who was also late. She an I chatted for a minute and she told me that her appointment was at 10:00am, but it was pushed back to 11:00am. (It was about 11:20am at this point.) My beautician finally arrived and apologized for being so late. She actually did a decent job, and I did accept her apology. She tried to convince me to get
Read more

Unsung Chemist: Dr. Booker T. W. White (1907 - 1990)

Born in Tryon, North Carolina on September 9, 1907, Booker Taliafero Washington White was an agricultural chemist and one of several African Americans that earned a doctoral degree in chemistry from The Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio) between the years 1940 and 1970. Booker T. W. White began his college career at West Virginia State College (now know as West Virginia State University), an HBCU (Historically Black College and University) located in West Virginia. White completed his undergraduate degree in 1929. White pursued graduate studies in the Department of Agricultural Chemistry at The Ohio State University earning his M.S. degree from OSU in 1937. He attended OSU during the 1936-37 academic year and the 1941 - 1944 academic years. In 1941, an article entitled "Southern Educator Tries to Find Use for Buckeyes," was published in the student newspaper, The Lantern and briefly described White's research efforts. "Booker T. White, on leave of absence
Read more

A New Place Called 'Better'

Image
     The year 2020 has been tremendously difficult, challenging, and so hurtful. How did I manage to keep my head above water this year? I could not have achieved anything in 2020 without the amazing support of friends and family. Honestly, I kept going because of them.      If anyone had told me that in the year 2020, I would publish a new book chapter focused on "superhero chemistry" and two articles in both Nature and Nature Chemistry focusing on achieving equity in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) disciplines , I would not have believed it. In addition, I actually officiated my little sister's wedding this year! Furthermore, I turned 50 years old in 2020, which actually still shocks me. There were so many milestones achieved in 2020. However, like all of you, I am looking forward to the year 2021. In other words, I am truly looking forward to new spaces and places called 'better.' Happy New Year everyone! Sibrina #HappyNewYear2021
Read more