Cultivating Mentorship, Cooperation, and Community during COVID-19 and Beyond

Critical Evaluation:

Dr. Salah Elias wrote and published this article in May 2021 within volume 28, issue 5 of the Cell Stem Cell peer-reviewed scientific journal. Elias is an Associate Professor in Developmental Biology at The University of Southampton, United Kingdom. He focuses on cell and developmental biology in relation to functional tissues and organs. And while that is not directly related to mentorship, Elias is a first-generation scientist and allowed the relationship he formed with his mentors to guide and support his career aspirations. Similar to other mentor-related research, he shares how a mentor's full support and encouragement allowed him to have the confidence to freely explore areas that appeared intimidating. Dr. Elias highlights how his mentor, figuratively holding his hand, encouraged him to independently discover who he was and how far he could take his career. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the availability and accessibility of support groups and communities are more prominent than ever. This supports the statement that an individual who is looking to pursue an uncharted career (to them) has the ability to research and find a mentor within that field. Finding a mentor who has similar characteristics, beliefs, and passion is key. Additionally, anyone has the access to read this resource, as it is free to the public and at an average reading level.

Elias S. (2021). Cultivating mentorship, cooperation, and community during COVID-19 and beyond. Cell stem cell, 28(5), 802–804. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stem.2021.04.016