Calling PhD scholars and ECAs!

Timeline:

May 2021: Launch EOIs for Postgraduates and ECAs (via Survey Monkey)
31 May 2021: Close EOIs
1 July 2021: Mentors/Mentee Match Ups allocated
August-November 2021: Mentor/Mentee sessions held

Program:

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and introduction of travel and stay at home restrictions, led to the inevitable decision to cancel the ASAA conference. This was a particular blow for postgraduates and those who were within two years since completion of their PhD, for whom the conference is such an important opportunity to present their work before peers.
The ASAA Executive and Council looked for alternative ways to support our postgraduate members, with our Mentoring Program one of the outcomes. A total of 28 Postgraduates and ECRS from Australia and around the world, and 26 Mentors, took part in the program in 2020. We received extremely positive feedback from both mentees and mentors about their experiences.
Given its success and the continuing demand for support, the ASAA plans to offer this opportunity to postgraduates and ECRS again in 2021.
As in 2020, the 2021 Postgraduate Mentoring Program is intended to support ASAA members who are postgraduates and those who are within two years of their PhD or equivalent.

We will offer one-on-one mentoring with a senior ASAA member. We aim to match postgraduates with a mentor in their field (being careful to make sure you are not assigned your own supervisor).

We will offer a choice of two different formats for mentoring a) to work on a publication related to their thesis or b) to simply connect for more general academic mentoring.

If you choose the mentoring for publication option, once matched with a mentor you will be asked to send them a piece of your writing with an eye to preparing it for eventual submission for publication. Mentors will read no more than two drafts of the article and either provide written feedback or instead they may choose to speak over Zoom or similar.

If you choose the general academic mentoring this would amount to two meetings of one hour each.

Ideally, appointments will take place between August-November 2021.

This survey is the first step towards ascertaining the level of interest among you, postgraduates and those within two years of your PhD (or equivalent), in such a program. At this stage we cannot make any guarantees that we will be able to find a Mentor Match for you, but we will do our very best!

If you took part in the program last year, and would like to reapply please go ahead, but we will give preference to those who did not have the opportunity to participate in 2020.

If you are a current member of ASAA and a postgraduate or you are within two years of your PhD, and would like take part please complete the survey here: Mentee EOI form in Survey Monkey.
For questions contact via email to Jemma Purdey (jemma@unimelb.edu.au) who is assisting our President, Kate McGregor, to organise the scheme again this year.