Sarah Walker is a research grantee developing and validating measures designed to monitor conceptual research use among juvenile justice leaders. She has mentored seven undergraduate students, three master’s students, four doctoral students, two post-baccalaureate interns, three fellows, and two early-career faculty. Though more than half of her mentees have been people of color, Walker recognizes that she has found it difficult at times to effectively mentor across difference in some of these relationships. With this award, her goals include developing more skills and confidence to help mentees when they encounter challenges related to their racial or cultural identity, normalizing discussions about race within her mentee relationships, and helping mentees explore the multiple career paths available to people with doctorate degrees. Beyond improving her individual mentoring skills, Walker will also create a “mentoring across difference” module for her unit’s mentoring series, which provides resources and tools to support faculty on their journey toward becoming better mentors. Walker’s mentee, Juan Gudino is a Latino doctoral student at the University of Washington School of Public Health. His goals include training in community-driven translational research, exploring tenure and alternative track careers, and interrogating his positionality as a Midwestern scholar of color interested in conducting juvenile legal system research. His and Walker’s mentoring relationship will encompass independent and collaborative projects.
With this award, Walker aims to develop her skills and confidence to support mentees when they encounter challenges related to their racial or cultural identity, normalize discussions about race within her mentee relationships, and help mentees explore the multiple career paths available to people with doctorate degrees.
