Executive Summary
Science Atlantic has been approved for funding to pilot an intergenerational mentorship program connecting senior and retired STEM faculty with early-career faculty and students across our 18 member institutions. This pilot explores building on our organization’s 60+ year legacy of member engagement and supports our mission to connect and grow the post-secondary science communities in Atlantic Canada.
The pilot addresses three core objectives:
- Promoting intergenerational volunteerism: Enabling senior and retired faculty who were previously involved with Science Atlantic to continue meaningful participation by mentoring early-career faculty and students
- Engaging seniors through mentoring: Leveraging the expertise of senior and retired faculty across 18 Atlantic post-secondary institutions to support the next generation of educators and researchers
- Supporting social participation and inclusion: Creating pathways for long-term involvement as faculty transition into retirement, completing the circle from student to faculty member to senior mentor
Expected Impact and Outcomes
For Senior Faculty:
- Continued meaningful engagement with the post-secondary STEM community
- Reduction in social isolation through intergenerational connections
- Exposure to new scientific innovations and perspectives from younger colleagues
For Early-Career Faculty and Students:
- Access to experienced guidance for navigating institutional culture
- Assistance in building professional networks across the region
- Enhanced sense of belonging
- Teaching and learning experiences that support their employment and studies
For the Atlantic STEM Community:
- Strengthened intergenerational connections across 18 institutions
- Preservation and transfer of institutional knowledge
- Enhanced success of early-career faculty
- Model for ongoing senior engagement
Summary
By creating opportunities for senior faculty to remain connected to the Atlantic post-secondary STEM community, we are building a program that honours their contributions and reflects the generational legacy of Science Atlantic. Concurrently, the program provides support to early-career faculty and students who can be overwhelmed by the complexity of post-secondary systems and culture.