The CONNECTED Network is excited to unveil an innovative scientific publication mentoring scheme, which opens for applications on 1 March, and which will run from late May 2021 through to the end of the year.

The aim is to match together senior researchers, who have extensive publication experience, with early career researcher network members who have a publication in development and who would benefit from the guidance of experience.

The mentoring will take place at intervals to be agreed between mentor and mentee, most likely via video conference.

The mentor

Mentors for this scheme include a number of members of the CONNECTED Management Board. The key function of the mentor is to help people find their way through a process, sharing their own experiences. In this scheme, this could include providing guidance on data analysis, or advice on manuscript layout and structure and the peer review process.

The mentee 

During the autumn 2020 ‘Springboard to Impact’ workshops CONNECTED Network members asked if it would be possible to set up such a scheme to help them prepare and submit their work for publication. It is envisaged the benefits to network members will include:

• Better understanding of what is required in manuscript preparation
• Practical advice and action planning to bring a current project closer to publication
• Increased motivation and productivity
• Greater confidence, improved interpersonal relationships, communication and networking.

The process 

The mentor and mentee will initially meet to agree the objectives of the partnership, and from this they will be able to agree the level of involvement expected from both. It is expected that each mentor-mentee pair agrees to a minimum of three online meetings to discuss the manuscript. The timeframe will be for mentor and mentee to agree, and will depend on the amount of work required on the manuscript and other current work commitments.

Mentoring conversations will be confidential and private.

The mentor could be included as an author on the manuscript if appropriate. Their role in the manuscript preparation would be acknowledged.

How to apply 

Applicants are invited to nominate up to three preferred mentors from the list, and are asked to note that the CONNECTED Network Team will assign the mentor, and cannot guarantee preferred choices will be allocated.

You can read the full guidance here

You can download the application form (Word document) here

Please note that places are limited. In the review process, we will consider:

• Prior experience with publications, with the aim of prioritising those with less experience
• Preference will be given to early career researchers
• The review will seek an entirely gender-balanced list of successful applicants
• The aim is to provide these opportunities to people from a range of countries and institutions.

Timescales  

• Applications open: Monday 1 March
• Closing date: Friday 2 April
• Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application no later than Friday 21 May
• From Monday 24 May, mentors and mentees will then be able to make arrangements to take the process forward.