Participating in a mentor group

Jan-Binne Hulshoff

Every scientist sooner or later encounters difficulties in their research. A mentor group allows students to discuss the difficulties they face during their research and to obtain suggestions and advice from fellow students or from an experienced researcher. My mentor, Prof. Cisca Wijmenga, not only pointed out the weaknesses in my research, but also gave me advice on how to cope with them. In addition to such advice, a mentor group also provides a different perspective on your research and allows you to take a ‘helicopter view.’

During mentor group meetings, you also discuss the future through questions like: ‘what do you want to achieve’ and ‘how do you want to achieve it’. My mentor group has made me think about the field in which I was doing my research. After a while, thanks to our discussions, I made the decision to change fields. Without a mentor group, it would have been more difficult for me to make this decision.

The main things I learned during the mentor group meetings were that I should be more flexible, approach my research in a more systematic manner, and that I should have more self-confidence.

June 2011

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