Do Great Minds Think Alike? Lessons in Mentorship from the "Think Alike?" Podcast

Mentorship is essential within the neuroscience community, and helps shape the future of science through collaboration, support, and shared knowledge. The first season of the "Think Alike?" podcast explores the mentorship journey in the neuroscience field and poses the question, do mentors and mentees think alike? Whether you're looking to improve lab dynamics, navigate career transitions, or strengthen mentorship relationships, this podcast offers valuable guidance for everyone in academia across all career stages.

Episode 1: Mutual Respect

Karina Alviña and her former mentee Farhana Afroz share how an initial email led to a transformative mentorship that supported Afroz’ PhD journey. Listen as the two discuss how a mentor's role includes providing guidance, encouragement, and support, while also recognizing the mentee's responsibility to contribute to the relationship: “The most successful thing in our mentoring relationship is that there is mutual respect for each other's ideas,” Alviña says. For insights into the challenges faced by international students, the pressures of balancing personal life, and the role of a mentor in navigating these complexities, this episode is a must-listen.

Episode 2: Creating a Safe Space

In episode two, Ramesh Raghupathi, along with his mentees Nishell Savory and Taylor McCorkle, discuss the significance of having a mentor who encourages their mentees to think critically and creatively. Allowing his mentees to navigate their own paths in research prepared them for their respective paths–whether in academia or industry. Both mentees emphasize the value of mentorship in shaping their professional identities and instilling confidence in their abilities, and Raghupathi emphasizes that mentorship is not one-size-fits-all: “I'm not in the business of making clones of myself."

Episode 3: Joy and Curiosity

Mentorship is not merely about guiding someone through their academic journey; it is about fostering an environment where curiosity thrives. Randy Nelson and Staci Bilbo discuss how a mentor's enthusiasm can ignite the same passion in their mentees, which can make all the difference in sustaining a career in research. They also touch on the evolving landscape of academia, where the pressures of productivity and competition can sometimes overshadow the joy of discovery: “It should be joyful. That's the thing I try to convey to my trainees," Bilbo says.

Episode 4: Trust and Transparency

Creating a culture where mistakes can be openly acknowledged and learned from fosters responsible science. Claire Sexton and her former mentee Naiara Demnitz discuss how important it is for early-career researchers to observe responsible and rigorous practices. "Hiding mistakes doesn't do the research culture any favors,” Sexton shares. Instead, transparency fosters growth and improvement. This reflects the idea that mentorship extends beyond direct guidance; it also leads to indirect learning.

Episode 5: Thriving Together

In this episode, Carmen Maldonado-Vlaar joins her former students, Dinah Ramos Ortolaza and Paula Muñoz Rodríguez, to discuss the power of mentorship in neuroscience. They reflect on their academic journeys, the challenges they’ve faced, and the importance of supporting underrepresented students in STEM. Their conversation highlights how trust, diverse perspectives, and resilience can shape meaningful mentor-mentee relationships and successful scientific careers: “I think that the story is different when you have someone that is providing you the tools and the means to succeed,” Munoz says.

Episode 6: Communication and Confidence Building

Janice Naegele and her former graduate student, Meghan Van Zandt, tackle challenges faced by graduate students, particularly in public speaking and presenting research findings. “One of the most useful pieces of advice that you gave me…was to visualize success when you're giving a presentation,” Van Zandt says to Naegele. This episode serves as a reminder of the power of mentorship and effective communication in science. Whether you're a student, a researcher, or simply curious about the field, tune in to gain valuable insights into the journey of becoming a confident scientist.

To listen to the full first season, explore the collection on Neuronline, or find and subscribe to “Think Alike?” on your favorite podcast player. And don’t miss your chance to join the conversation in our live, ask-me-anything-style webinar with contributors from "Think Alike?" to dive deeper into mentorship, career navigation, and professional growth topics.