Purpose : To facilitate a mentoring relationship between UMBC STEM female faculty, particularly those who are nearing a critical transition point in their career, and a prominent researcher in their field. This relationship will be established to provide a connection for the UMBC faculty member to their larger scientific community in order to enhance their success as they advance through the ranks of academia.

Selection : The UMBC female faculty member will work in conjunction with her chair to identify a prominent scholar in her field of research, who they both believe may be a good mentor. After the mentor has been identified, the chair should contact the ADVANCE Program by email (advance@umbc.edu) to request funding. The following information should be included in the email:

• UMBC Information


• Faculty member, title, email and telephone number
• Eminent Scholar Mentor Information:


• Name, university, title, email and telephone number
• Semester of Eminent Scholar's intended visit


• Contact information of the person in your department to work with while coordinating the visit

After ADVANCE has agreed to fund the visit, the Eminent Scholar will be sent one letter from the President and Provost inviting them to participate in this relationship and one letter from the chair explaining the program.

Benefits : In the first year ADVANCE will provide funding for the mentor:

• to visit UMBC, including travel, hotel and meals
• to give a distinguished departmental seminar, including $500 honorarium
• to spend a substantial time with mentee.

• to visit the mentor's home institution, including travel, hotel and meals
• to give a research seminar
• to continue the mentoring relationship

 Report: The UMBC STEM faculty member must complete a brief yearly report form and will be notified by ADVANCE when it is due. Please have your department chair sign it and submit it to ADVANCE Program annually (around the anniversary of funding approval).
Year One Report
Year Two Report

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