AAAS Mentor Awards

Funding Agency:
American Association for the Advancement of Science

The two categories of the AAAS Mentor Awards (Lifetime Mentor Award and Mentor Award) both honor individuals who during their careers demonstrate extraordinary leadership to increase the participation of underrepresented groups in science and engineering fields and careers. These groups include: women of all racial or ethnic groups; African American, Native American, and Hispanic men; and people with disabilities.

Both awards recognize an individual who has mentored and guided significant numbers of students from underrepresented groups to the completion of doctoral studies or who has impacted the climate of a department, college, or institution to significantly increase the diversity of students pursuing and completing doctoral studies. It is important to indicate in the nomination materials how the nominee’s work resulted in departmental and/or institutional change in terms of the granting of PhDs to underrepresented students. This can be documented not only with quantitative data, but may also be demonstrated through the student and colleague letters of support.

  • Lifetime Mentor Award: A prize of $5,000 will be awarded. This individual will have served in the role of mentor for 25 or more years.
  • Mentor Award: A prize of $5,000 will be awarded. This individual will have served in the role of mentor for less than 25 years.

Deadline for Nominations: June 30, 2023

Agency Website

Eligibility Requirements

The award is open to all individuals, regardless of nationality or citizenship, who have mentored students at a U.S. institution. Nominees must be living at the time of their nomination. Lifetime Mentor Awardees will have served in the role of mentor for 25 or more years. Mentor Awardees will have served in the role of mentor for less than 25 years. Each nominee will be rated based on the following criteria:

  1. Candidate mentored a significant number of students from underrepresented groups (i.e., women of all racial or ethnic groups; African American, Native American, and Hispanic men; and people with disabilities) who earned PhDs in a STEM field
  2. Candidate has shaped or impacted the climate of a department, college, or institution to significantly increase the diversity of students who earned STEM PhDs
  3. Candidate demonstrated continued interest in the educational and professional development of students mentored before and during the pursuit of the STEM PhD
  4. Candidate provided students with psychological support, encouragement, and essential strategies for life in the scholarly community before and during the pursuit of the STEM PhD
  5. Candidate has shaped or impacted the climate of a department, college, or institution to significantly increase the diversity of students who earned STEM PhDs

Amount

$5,000

Funding Type

Award

Eligibility

Faculty

Category

Engineering and Physical Sciences
Environmental & Life Sciences
Interdisciplinary
Medical
Medical - Basic Science
Medical - Clinical Science
Medical - Translational
Social Sciences

External Deadline

June 30, 2023