UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — As a doctoral candidate in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, Michelle Paukett aspires to focus her research and future career on global food safety and security for both plant and animal agriculture.
“I would like to lead initiatives that support the international trade of agricultural goods without compromising safety and advise relevant science policies to protect U.S. agriculture,” said Paukett, who is pursuing a dual-title degree in plant pathology and international agriculture. “I am interested in working abroad for a portion of my career and know that I must expand my network internationally to support those interests.”
The opportunity to do that was afforded to her through the college’s participation in the Global Challenges University Alliance 2030. The alliance, called GCUA, is a network of more than 15 universities worldwide with a shared vision of contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through international collaboration and research.
The 17 goals, which focus on ending poverty, protecting the planet and improving all lives, were adopted in 2015 and are intended to be achieved by 2030.
The alliance brings together people from disparate disciplines, including natural resources, humanities, social sciences, plant sciences and environmental ethics, to name a few. The organization’s primary goals are to link researchers and provide cross-cultural training and exposure for graduate students preparing for research careers.
“This was an opportunity for me to be paired with a new mentor who could provide insight into the opportunities and challenges involved with a career working abroad in agriculture or conducting international research collaborations,” said Paukett, who was selected as one of 22 mentees for the first cohort. “It would also enable me to establish professional connections, build leadership skills and develop mentorship skills to support others.”
International connections have led to significant advancements in discovery, explained Deanna Behring, assistant dean and director of Ag Sciences Global in the college. “Our involvement in GCUA is valuable for continued global engagement in research, education and outreach now and well into the future,” Behring said. She and Penn State colleague Jay Stauffer, distinguished professor of ichthyology, were among the mentors who represented countries worldwide.
The mentorship program, which kicked off last spring, allows for cross-cultural exchange and learning between mentors and mentees and in-depth dialogues on various aspects of academic career development within and across disciplines. All mentors and mentees will be invited to the GCUA 2030 final meeting, where they can meet face-to-face, network, reflect on the process and share experiences.
The mentees participated in online modules/seminars on sustainable leadership, research, diversity, educational inequalities and professional development. They also met regularly with their mentors.
Connection with other graduate students was beneficial for Paukett, who said participation had enabled her to identify specific areas of the graduate research process at which she excels and areas she can focus on improving.
“I also learned about various interpersonal and time management skills that can be applied in my graduate research program,” she said. “One of my favorite aspects of this program is that it doesn’t rely on hypothetical examples for the different module topics; students bring their own challenges and insights to the program, making what is discussed more engaging and realistic to implement in our lives.”
Another mentee who appreciated the opportunity was Thomas Adams, who is a doctoral candidate in engineering at the National University of Ireland, Galway. He said the program helped to build his confidence as a scientist.
“The program provided an open space to allow us to share the challenges we have as graduate students,” said Adams, whose career interests focus on renewable energy and transportation. “Through the program, I gained confidence in myself as a researcher and honed practical skills such as organization and communication.”
One activity that Adams found particularly helpful focused on active listening. One student presented a problem to another student who played the coach role. The third student observed the exchange and provided feedback on the exchange.
“The goal was to coach someone through a problem without telling them what to do,” he said. “In other words, we were to listen, gather information, and help the person come up with a solution on their own. I thought it was interesting.”
Another bonus for Adams was meeting with his mentor, Behring. “Dr. Behring is welcoming, kind, friendly and ready to help in any way,” Adams said. “She has a wealth of experience, knowledge and connections and provides solid advice. Straightaway, I felt comfortable to be open and honest with her.”
Emma Wallace, who is pursuing a dual-title degree in plant pathology and international agriculture, also was in the first cohort; students Gloria Mangioni, Ram Neupane and Jhony Benavides have been accepted for the next one.
The mentorship program, funded by the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education, is led by Katarina Billing, who is a certified psychologist, coach and journalist with more than 20 years of experience working with people and leadership development.