IAMCR - International Association for Media and Communication Research

Finding your way in academia can be confusing, overwhelming, and intimidating. How do you choose the right conference? The right journal? The right research project? And who can you ask for advice? ESN can help. The ESN mentorship programme will match emerging scholars with mentors from IAMCR in order to:

• provide mentees with advice, guidance, and assistance at IAMCR and in their work
• develop research, publications, and participation in IAMCR and other academic communities
• exchange ideas, perspectives, and research
• meet informally at conferences and communicate periodically during the year

A mentor is a good contact for you as you become part of the academic community. Maintaining a good relationship with your mentor can help you find better research and publication opportunities, connect you with senior scholars in your field, and provide a valuable outside perspective on your career goals and plans. Read the mentee guide for some more suggestions.

How to participate

Please take part in this exciting program! The inspiration of ESN founding member Katharine Sarikakis, the Mentorship Program aims to connect emerging scholars with senior scholar mentors for guidance and assistance. As mentors, established scholars meet with a mentee at conferences and are available for basic feedback and advice via email throughout the year. Read our mentee guide for further information.

If you are interested in being a mentor or a mentee, please contact the ESN mentorship coordinator Anne Kaun at anne.kaun [at] sh.se, cc co-chair Stefania Milan at stefania.milan [at] eui.eu. Send the following:

• your short CV in English (two pages maximum)
• a short (10-line) abstract of your research
• a list of up to five keywords that describe your work. Please include also an indication of the methods and theories used in your research. Make sure you save your files in .pdf or .rtf, and clearly mark the files with your name (for example: StefaniaMilan_CV.pdf)
• indicate your preferences if you already have a specific mentor in mind. We will try to match you according to your preferences, however this is not guaranteed.

We will match you with someone whose research is similar to yours.

Mentor commitments

• meet with mentee at IAMCR conferences
• communicate periodically during the year
• provide advice and feedback on conference, publication, and research plans

Mentee commitments

• meet with montor at IAMCR conferences
• communicate periodically during the year
• provide mentors with occasional updates on research and publication projects
• be prepared with questions and ideas

Tips and suggestions

Come to mentorship meetings with a few specific questions prepared. be sure to spend time listening! Tell your mentor a little bit about yourself first, but be brief – he or she already has your CV.

• talk with your mentor about how much contact and feedback he or she is able to provide.
• send occasional updates on your research progress and planned activities to keep your mentorship relationship active (4 or 5 times per year)
• be careful not to overwhelm your mentor with papers to read or a flood of emails.

Remember, a mentor is not an academic advisor. Instead of specific research critiques, seek out general guidance and advice. Read our mentee guide for some more suggestions.