September 2025 | Oceanography
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without institutional support for mentoring activities. Repeating
this analysis for the decade 2010–2019, Legg et al. (2023) showed
that men and women with PhDs in physical oceanography were
equally likely to obtain faculty positions in recent years. Further
evidence for the improvement in gender ratio in academic posi-
tions in physical oceanography is given by Mouw et al. (2018),
who examined statistics for a set of 13 universities and laboratories
and found an overall increase in the percentage of women physical
oceanography faculty from 18% in 2007 to 26% in 2017. Given that
MPOWIR was launched around the same time frame as these later
studies, the authors assert that the program and its reaching effects
may have contributed to these changes in demographic statistics.
Critically, senior leaders affiliated with MPOWIR have helped
to drive institutional changes while navigating their own career
challenges. For example, although often lacking formal leadership
training, MPOWIR-trained mentors have led department initia-
tives to address implicit bias in hiring and have promoted flexi-
ble career pathways. Retention data further underscores the pro-
gram’s effectiveness—in 2017, 95% of participants who were at
least five years beyond their PhDs remained in the field, working
across commercial, policy, academic, research, and nonprofit sec-
tors (Mouw et al., 2018). This retention spans not only mentees but
also senior participants, whose sustained engagement as mentors
and advocates helps perpetuate a culture of inclusion despite com-
peting professional demands.
MPOWIR relies on a self-sustaining model of leadership and
culture change with broad applications across STEM fields. One
of the most genuine measures of MPOWIR’s impact is demon-
strated by the number of former participants who take on mentor-
ship roles to support the next generation of mentees. The continu-
ity of the program is proof of MPOWIR’s success, as women and
men who have participated in the program invite and encourage
students and postdocs who identify as women+ to participate. In
fact, after almost 20 years, 70% of the senior leaders of MPOWIR
mentoring groups are former MPOWIR mentees. As perceived by
former mentees, the value and effectiveness of the MPOWIR pro-
gram is reflected in this large percentage of former mentees inter-
ested in becoming mentors. MPOWIR has therefore instilled last-
ing cultural change in the first-generation mentees, who are now
passing it along to the next generation.
MPOWIR is not alone in this finding: in general, those who
have previously received mentoring feel better prepared and are
more willing to mentor others (Allen et al., 1997). Mentors also
report higher job satisfaction and commitment than those with-
out mentoring experience (Ghosh and Reio, 2012). According to
a study by Wanberg et al. (2006), individuals who served as men-
tors reported changes in how they interacted with their staffs, a
new awareness of their behavior, and a better understanding of the
problems faced by earlier career professionals. While numerous
factors contribute to these associations, mentors may constantly
update their knowledge to provide support for mentees, which also
drives success in their own careers (Ghosh and Reio, 2012).
MPOWIR’s MENTORING FRAMEWORK
Since its inception, MPOWIR has utilized a formal mentoring
arrangement, wherein participants are intentionally organized
into groups of six to seven junior participants that meet regu-
larly with two senior mentors, as opposed to informal mentoring,
which relies on the mentee initiating and maintaining a relation-
ship (Wanberg et al., 2006; Clem et al., 2014; Mouw et al., 2018).
Participation in MPOWIR mentoring groups is limited to indi-
viduals who identify as women+. Formal mentoring frameworks,
like MPOWIR mentor groups, have been shown to have poten-
tial benefits similar to those of informal mentoring relationships
(Ragins et al., 2000), with participants benefiting not only from the
advice of their senior leaders but also from their peers. In estab-
lishing groups, participants are intentionally paired with senior
leaders who work for institutions different from their own, and to
the extent possible, with peers close to their career stage and affili-
ated with separate institutions. This framework allows participants
to feel comfortable talking openly about advisee/advisor relation-
ships and difficult situations they face on their respective career
paths. Early career scientists gain seasoned confidants to help them
navigate challenges, set goals, build confidence, and reduce feel-
ings of isolation. Furthermore, the mentor group relationships
help participants build out and diversify their peer networks for
lasting career support.
In addition to facilitating formal mentoring arrangements,
MPOWIR cultivates mentorships through a host of activities.
While mentoring groups engage senior leaders who identify as
women+, all other MPOWIR activities involve senior leaders
from all genders. During odd-numbered years (e.g., 2011, 2013),
the program hosts the Pattullo Conference, an event that brings
together 25 junior women+ physical oceanographers and 12 senior
physical oceanographers of all genders for a 2.5-day long in-person
meeting focused on discipline-based mentoring and professional
development. During even-numbered years (e.g., 2022, 2024), the
Virtual Conference (modeled after the Pattullo Conference) occurs
remotely in order to allow participation of individuals constrained
by their ability to travel and to facilitate international participa-
tion. At the nine Pattullo Conferences sponsored by MPOWIR,
100% of senior leaders indicated they would recommend the con-
ference to an early-career participant. These MPOWIR-run con-
ferences feature various mentoring formats, including one-on-one
conversations, small group dialogues, and speed mentoring, where
all mentees interact with each senior leader for several minutes.
In addition, MPOWIR webinars and virtual discussions are held
semiannually and focus on topics of interest to early-stage phys-
ical oceanographers, provide continued support for past partici-
pants, and connect a broad range of scientists and professionals.
Town halls at major conferences (e.g., Ocean Sciences Meeting)
inform the whole community of MPOWIR’s activities and initiate
community-wide discussion on mentorship-related topics, while
informal social events at these conferences help maintain the con-
nections created through MPOWIR participation. Early-career