Developing Scientific Talents
The mission of the Scientific Careers Research and Development Group (Careers R&D Group) is to develop new approaches to the training of young scientists that more effectively bring their talents to the scientific enterprise. In so doing, our goal is to contribute to the National mission of maximally stimulating creative problem solving through inclusion of the widest possible range of individuals and the perspectives they bring in research and teaching. To achieve this goal requires much greater participation in the research enterprise by individuals from underrepresented groups.
Rethinking the training of scientists as a science itself
Research training has historically emphasized an apprenticeship approach which has been effective from many perspectives but it can inadvertently exclude individuals who have markedly different life experiences from mentors, and potentially inhibit creativity. Discoveries and insights from the social and behavioral sciences now make it possible to propose and empirically test new theories and models of scientific training to fill in the gaps and limitations of mentoring without losing its strengths.
