Mentorship

MORS has a long and distinguished history, dating back over fifty years. MORS is proud of its heritage as it closely reflects the heritage of Operations Research in the United States.

Members of the Society include a cross-section of the best Research Analysts, Operators, and Managers from government, industry, and academia. The involvement of such a wide range of practitioners and theoreticians fosters professional interchange within the national defense research community, the sharing of insights and information on challenging national security issues, and specific support to decision makers in the many organizations and agencies that address national defense.

Members can often look back over their professional careers and identify mentors who helped them along the way. These relationships are generally informal and born out of circumstance—the lectures and professors who taught us analytical techniques at our alma maters, the analytical associates with whom we learned the tools of the trade, the national defense colleagues with whom we worked. MORS Mentorship Program facilitates these relationships through a formal mentor-mentee matching program and informal networking at meetings and events.

The MORS Mentorship Program is open to all MORS members.

To sign up, please click here

The term "mentor" is used to define the role of an individual with personal and professional experiences that enable them to provide guidance, education, and advice. The scope and focus of mentoring relationships will vary for every mentor-mentee pair, as it will reflect the individual needs of the participants.

• Knowledge: Provide mentees with feedback on their performance and suggestions on how to improve. A mentor teaches mentees skills they need to be successful
• Experience: Build a partnership that focuses on personal and professional development. A mentor shares their experience and networks, and challenges mentees to grow in a safe environment.
• Advice: Provide information or an opinion about what another person should do in a specific academic or personal matter. A mentor gives honest input on handling difficult situations.

Relationships: Provide mentees and mentors the opportunity to expand and develop professional relationships.

1. Assist members in sharing their skills, knowledge, and expertise.
2. Demonstrate optimism and enthusiasm about the mentor-mentee relationship and the field of operation research.
3. Promote ongoing learning and growth.
4. Provide guidance and constructive feedback.
5. Help members set personal and professional goals.

Help members celebrate accomplishments.

MORS

The Mentorship Team, with support of the MORS staff, will facilitate the program.

• Provide education on how to successfully serve as a mentor.
• Match mentees to their mentors.
• Suggest modes of communication and activities intended to enhance the mentor-mentee relationship.
• Host mentorship events at MORS meetings.
• Outline the intent, guidelines, advantages, and limitations of the mentorship program.
• Assist in identifying potential participants’ needs and objectives regarding mentoring opportunities.
• Maintain and evaluate the program’s activities for ongoing modification and improvement.

Mentors

The mentor should:

• Be supportive, positive, interested, and involved.
• Be an active listener.
• Provide feedback on the mentee’s ideas and questions.
• Act as a role model.
• Maintain confidences.
• Have a sound understanding of the profession.
• Have an ability to see solutions and opportunities.

Mentees

The mentee should:

• Discuss expectations.
• Be receptive to constructive criticism and feedback.
• Be willing to implement individual changes.
• Be respectful of the mentor’s time.
• Demonstrate high standards of professionalism.
• Communicate with the mentor and Mentorship Team.

Accept completion of the mentor-mentee relationship if advised by the Mentorship Team.

Possible Areas of Focus

• Work-life balance.
• Time management and organizational skills.
• Professional publications.
• Public speaking.
• Certifications and Courses.
• Understanding MORS and pursuing a leadership role.

Suggested Activities

• Advising mentees about education options, career opportunities, and professional development decisions.
• Attending professional events together, such as continuing education workshops or MORS meetings.
• Pursing volunteer opportunities within MORS.

Pursing a leadership role within MORS.

Mentor and mentee applicants will complete profiles with their individual information and objectives in order to be matched. Profiles will be stored in a database that will only be used for matching and will not be shared with any third parties. To create a profile, visit MentorCity.

You must be a MORS member to participate in the MORS Mentorship Program.

By completing a mentorship profile, the participant indicates his or her agreement with the following terms and conditions:

1. The participant agrees to make a good faith effort to comply with the performance objectives and suggestions outlined in this guide, by the program director, and MORS. Failure to do so may jeopardize the individual’s continued participation in the program.
2. The participant agrees that MORS makes no representation or warranty regarding the nature or quality of the advice that the participant may receive from other participants in the program and that MORS shall have no liability for any act of any participant in the program or for any claim related to MORS administration of the program.
3. The participant acknowledges that this program is not to be used for recruitment purposes.

• I’m not a MORS member. Can I join the mentorship program?
• Participation in the program is a member benefit, learn more about becoming a member on the MORS Membership page.
• How long does it take to make a mentorship profile?
• A mentorship profile can be thoroughly completed in about ten minutes.
• Once I sign up, how long will it take to get matched?
• Matches are done on a rolling basis. Most individuals will be matched within two weeks, but if you are seeking a more specific type of mentor/mentee it could take longer to find a viable fit.
• What will my match be based on?
• Matching can be based on different categories, such as general goal (e.g., professional development, communications, MORS), type of specialized skills, subspecialty, domain of application, or other factors.