Rachael Robnett (PI) and Gloria Wong-Padoongpatt (co-PI) from the UNLV Department of Psychology were recently awarded a $1.1M grant from the National Science Foundation to study mentoring relationships in STEM fields.

Research mentoring is a commonplace strategy for diversifying the STEM pipeline, yet little is known about the "secret ingredients" that distinguish between successful and unsuccessful mentoring relationships. The project leadership contends that delving into interpersonal dynamics and sociocultural fit in these mentoring relationships will shed light on why some students thrive under their mentor's guidance while others struggle to gain traction. 

The four-year project will be conducted in partnership with Courtney Luedke (co-PI) at the University of Illinois-Chicago and the UNLV Center for Academic Enrichment and Outreach (CAEO), which oversees a number of federally funded STEM research apprenticeship programs. Additional research partners include California State University-Northridge, College of Southern Nevada, and Northern Arizona University. UNLV Advisory Board members include Larry Letourneau (CAEO), Gwen Marchand (Educational Psychology), and Blanca Rincón (Educational Psychology).