Supporting Careers of Junior PI’s in Academia
Application period for the cycle 2025/26: 21 November to 6 December 2024
You have made it! You are an independent PI, a group leader, a boss, an established scientist, a mentor, and supervisor – congratulations to this huge success.
Besides all the enthusiasm, you may realise that you were not (yet) prepared for all the challenges. You might feel that you are (here and there) falling short of your own and external expectations.
Do not feel bad if you sometimes feel a little overwhelmed. This is a very demanding stage of career! This programme offers support on your way to a content, successful, inspiring, happy PI and leader.
If you are ready to invest in this path, go for it and apply!
The Concept
The ESMI Mentoring Programme is based on a one-to-one mentoring (see Tandem* below), a strong Mentee peer-group, accompanied by ESMI-arranged workshop by an external coach.
Target Group
Early-stage PIs working in academia with start of independent position max. 5 years ago
Duration
One year of arranged mentoring (February 2025 to February 2026)
Group Size
Five seats per cycle are available
Main Pillars
- Mentee-Mentor Tandem*
- Mentee Peer-Group
- ESMI-organized workshops by an external coach
Application Documents
Applications for the term (2025/26) are accepted between 21 November and 6 December 2024.
- You are an early/young PI working in academia
- You have started your independent position max. five years ago (not earlier than November 2019)
- You are a member of the ESMI
The following documents need to be provided within the application period:
- Short bio (tabular CV)
- Motivation letter
(about one page, this should outline your need for mentoring, current work/life situation, expectations on mentoring, challenges you are facing as an early PI,…) - List of publications so far
- The filled application form (template):
Submit your application documents via email to Annette @ office@e-smi.eu.
Mentee-Mentor Tandem
A Tandem is defined as an independent and confidential professional alliance free of hierarchy between the early-stage PI (Mentee) and the experienced senior PI (Mentor). This alliance forms a one-to-one partnership with a specific mandate (dealing with rejections, establish publication strategies, enlarge professional network, teamleading,…).
Timeline & Concept
Mentoring Tree
Timeline 2025
Application period
21 Nov. – 6 Dec. 2024
Interviews
CW 2 (6-10 January 2025)
Introductory Workshop for Mentees
End of January 2025
Matching Process finalised
Beginning of February 2025
Introductory Workshop for Mentors
February 2025
First Tandem Meeting
February/early March 2025
Opportunities for Mentees
- Analysis of current position and challenges
- Defining priorities
- Implement strategies to tacke demands
- Reflection on role
- Enlarging your network
- Team-up with peers at the same career-stage facing similiar chanllenges
Opportunities for Mentors
- Transfer of knowledge and experience
- Reflection of own career path
- Improvement of advisory skills and competence
- Positive experience of leadership role
- Enlargement of network Mentor peer-group!)
- Add-on to CV
ESMI Coordinating Committee
- Frauke Alves, Göttingen – Chair
- Fabian Schmidt, Tübingen
- Doris Kracht – ESMI Executive Director
- Sophy Poty, Dijon
- Claudia Kuntner-Hannes, Vienna
- Nadja van Camp, Fontenay aux Roses – ESMI Board
- Marlene Wiart, Lyon