PENGUIN Mentoring

Mission Statement

Mentorship is central to the academic experience in astronomy. Unfortunately, academia is also rife with dangerous power dynamics and institutionalized systems of oppression that disproportionately impact scientists in their early career and those from otherwise marginalized groups in society. As astronomers, we recognize that great mentorship can uplift and strengthen the careers and lives of both mentors and mentees, but without an emphasis on inclusive practices, these relationships can reinforce and propagate harm. We envision a future for astronomy mentorship, grounded in mutual respect and intentionality, that leads to better experiences and better science.

In an effort to reach this goal, we present Preparing the Emerging Next Generation Using Inclusive Networking (PENGUIN): an organization devoted to supporting and empowering early career astronomers. We intentionally connect mentees into a web of mentorship across institutions through a combined “one-step-ahead” mentorship approach and meetings with a family of mentors at multiple career stages. All members of our network are conscious practitioners of inclusive mentorship. Our goal is to serve the needs of our community by reducing the impact of individual power dynamics on early career astronomers, growing together as mentors and mentees, and transforming the culture of our field towards a more inclusive paradigm.

Read more about the details of the PENGUIN program in our Participant Handbook.