Professional Development

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Mentor of the Year

Congratulations Dr. Erin Kane (2021-2022)!

Some highlights from her various nominations are included below:

“No matter how big or small the concern or question, she treats me kindly and like a colleague. She cares about not only my success but that of all the other students that work in our lab”” I struggled to find my voice in our lab group for many years – but Erin’s consistent support and words of encouragement truly catalyzed my current comfort and confidence in my research endeavors. She is kind, patient, and always willing to share invaluable advice and insight to guide my reading/research well beyond her responsibilities in our lab”“Erin is amazing. She is a constant light in the lab. Her spirit is infectious and she will ALWAYS go the extra mile to make sure that we understand both how and why we are doing the science that we choose to do. She is an incredible mentor, and anyone who gets a chance to work with her is so lucky.”

Upon receiving her award, we asked Dr. Kane for one piece of advice for other women in STEM?

“I really believe that success in STEM can’t be achieved by individuals. My mentors and advocates have been important to my own career trajectory, but without building a community of peers, colleagues, and friends, I wouldn’t have been able to finish my PhD, complete my postdoctoral work, or manage the transition to a different career path than I envisioned. Because traditional academic success in the form of grants and tenure track faculty positions is so competitive, it can be tempting to see your cohort and colleagues as nothing but competition. But really, it’s a lot easier to make scientific progress and enjoy what you do when you see people less as competitors and more as possible collaborators. Recognize and celebrate the skills you bring to the table, and the skills your colleagues bring to the table, and think about how you can use those skills in concert!”

Kim McCall, Boston University Professor of Biology (2020-2021)

Suchi Gopal, Boston University Professor of Earth and Environment (2019-2020)

Stan Sclaroff, Boston University Professor of Computer Science (2018-2019)

Adrian Whitty, Boston University Professor of Chemistry (2017-2018)

Kristin Long, Boston University Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences (2016-2017)

Karen Warkentin, Boston University Professor of Biology (2015-2016)

Xue Han, Boston University Professor of Biomedical Engineering (2014-2015)

Andrew West, Boston University Professor of Astronomy (2013-2014)

Advocate of the Year

Sarah Hokanson, Associate Provost in Professional Development and Postdoctoral Affairs (2020-2021)

After being nominated multiple times and being a wonderful advocate for graduate and postdoctoral students throughout her time so far at BU, Sarah Hokanson was awarded Advocate of the Year at our Annual Spring Keynote held on March 17th, 2021. Following the award, we conducted a short interview with Sarah, an excerpt is below with more info on our main page.

What is one piece of advice you have for other women in STEM?

Check in with yourself—ask questions like Am I okay? Where are the resources or help I need? Where do I want my career to go? I think prioritizing these questions in your training and centering your own wellness and fulfillment in what you’re doing is really important. For me, fulfillment looks like joy, which I feel in knowing I am helping others, but fulfillment looks different and means different things to everyone. Figure out what it looks like for you, and make a change if you don’t wake up feeling motivated!