Mentoring and Networking Events

We host mentoring and networking events for emerging scholars at professional association meetings and conferences including:

  • The National Research Conference on Early Childhood (NRCEC)
  • The National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) Annual Conference
  • The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) Biennial Meeting
  • The Population Association of America (PAA) Annual Meeting
  • The Child Care and Early Education Policy Research Consortium (CCEEPRC) Annual Meeting

These events have generated discussion between emerging scholars and mentors on shared research interests and ideas for collaboration, and provided professional development advice, such as how to apply for graduate school, enter the job market, or pursue a research agenda. The events have also helped to strengthen partnering organizations by highlighting the importance of nurturing researchers who study Hispanics.

For additional information on mentoring and networking events, contact us at [email protected]

Upcoming Mentoring and Networking Events

SRCD Research Mentoring and Networking Event

The Center, in partnership with the SRCD Latinx Caucus will host, “Career Bites: Research Mentorship & Networking Event” at the 2025 SRCD conference. The free event facilitates relationships between mentees (students & early career scholars) and mentors (senior researchers and leaders in the field). Whether you are looking for guidance on career advancement, research methodologies, or work-life balance, this event offers a supportive space to exchange ideas, ask questions, and build lasting professional connections. 

The event will be held Saturday, May 3, 2025, from 10:20 – 11:50 a.m. CDT. To register for the event, please fill out the survey here.

Past Mentoring and Networking Events

RECS Research Mentoring and Networking Event

The Center, in partnership with the National African American Child and Family Research Center, and the Tribal Early Childhood Research Center, will host an in-person Research Mentoring and Networking event at the upcoming Research and Evaluation Conference on Self-Sufficiency (RECS) 2024.  The Research Mentoring and Networking event will be held in-person on Thursday, May 30, 2024, from 12:00 -1:00 p.m. ET, at the Capital Hilton in Washington, DC. The event is designed to facilitate relationships between mentees (RECS attendees who identify as emerging scholars, including students, recent graduates, and junior staff and faculty) and mentors (senior researchers and leaders in the field) who study family self-sufficiency and social welfare programs and policies, including the experiences of diverse populations and racial and ethnic equity in human services.

This event is free and open to all RECS attendees. Due to federal event rules, refreshments will not be served. Participants are encouraged to bring their own lunch to the event to eat with others. To register for the event, please fill out the survey here.

NRCEC Research Mentoring and Networking Event

Emerging scholars (students & new professionals) and mentors (senior researchers/leaders in the field) are invited to participate in a free Research Mentoring and Networking Event at the  National Research Conference on Early Childhood (NRCEC) 2024. The event is designed to facilitate relationships between mentees (emerging scholars) and mentors studying diverse populations and/or racial and ethnic equity issues of relevance to early childhood programs and the children and families they serve. Mentors and mentees will be assigned to groups based on topical interest for informal discussions related to studying racially and ethnically diverse children and families, equity issues in early childhood research, and career development more broadly. The event will be held in person on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, from 10:45 – 12:15 p.m. ET at the Crystal Gateway Marriot 

The event is co-organized by the Center, the National African American Child and Family Research Center, and the Tribal Early Childhood Research Center in partnership with the Administration for Children and Families’ (ACF) NRCEC 2024. To register for the event, please fill out the survey here.

PAA Mentoring and Networking Breakfast

The Center is pleased to announce a free Mentoring and Networking Breakfast at the PAA annual meeting. The Mentoring and Networking Breakfast will be held on Friday, April 11, 2025, at 7:00 a.m. ET. The event is designed to facilitate relationships between mentees (students and early career scholars) and mentors (senior researchers and leaders in the field, usually with 10+ years of postdoctoral research experience). Mentees and mentors will have the opportunity to choose among various discussion topics, including those related to studying Hispanic populations and career development more broadly. Participants will be assigned to groups based on topical interest and will have ample opportunity to engage in informal discussions with both their peers and mentors.  

To register for the event, please fill out the survey here.