Representative Jennifer McClellan’s (VA-04) office has released legislation targeted at improving mentorship in graduate education. The bill, titled the Improving Mentorship in STEM Higher Education Act, authorizes $5 million of NSF grants to efforts that improve mentorship practices in graduate education. Areas of focus include investing in research into best mentorship practices for graduate education and investing in programs that train researchers and faculty and that institutionalize evidence-based mentorship practices.

We applaud Congresswoman McClellan’s focus on improving mentorship and preventing abuse in graduate education. Research mentors are responsible for overseeing these students as they work through their degrees and for preparing them for successful scientific careers. This is an essential workforce and talent pool for American technology development and national security, and ensuring their mentors are engaged in ethical and evidence-based practices can go far in addressing the systemic workplace issues that have resulted in only half of doctoral students graduating and usually only after 6-8 years. The FAARM Project joins other organizations endorsing this bill, including the National Association of Graduate Professional Students (NAGPS), Association for Women in Science and the Council of Graduate Schools, and the MIT Graduate Student Council.

The bill, which would begin awarding grants in 2025, is being introduced into the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. The full list of members is listed below. We urge you to review this list and to contact any members that represent you, asking them to support this bill.