ESA Mentor/Mentee Program

The Ecological Society of America will be offering mentor/mentee program at the ESA 100th Annual Meeting.  We encourage all ESA sections and chapters to participate by recruiting 2 to 5 members willing to serve as mentors. The goal of this program is to help first timer attendees at the ESA’s Annual Meeting navigate the meeting, meet new people, and explore the direction their future can take in the field of ecology.  This is the fourth year of the program and we hope it continues to grow.

One of  two key organized events is the welcome reception, which will immediately follow the Sunday, August 9 plenary, to be held at the Hilton Baltimore, in the Key Ballroom lobby at 6:30pm.  The other event is the Mentor/Mentee breakfast to be held Tuesday, August 11, from 7am to 8am, at the Baltimore Convention Center in the Camden Lobby.  For only $5 participants will enjoy a cup of coffee and bagel with cream cheese.

The annual meeting can be a daunting event, with so many sessions, a lot of people, and the potential for stress for those navigating it for the first time. However, with a little guidance from veteran annual meeting attendees, even the uninitiated can find ways to benefit from all the meeting has to offer.  So if you believe you would benefit from participating as a mentee, attend the welcome reception, join the roundtable discussion representing you discipline, and start networking. To volunteer to serve as a mentor, please contact our staff point person, Isabelle, at Isabelle@esa.org. This will be a rewarding experience for everyone!