If you are lucky enough to find a talented and experienced mentor, be grateful and attentive; you can learn more from them than from any book. Sadly now, few senior scientists have the time they would like to spend on either supervising or mentoring their younger charges.(节选自《当科研成为一种职业》)
什么样的人可以称为Mentor?尽管Advisor或Supervisor的角色可以向Mentor的角色转换,但Mentor的作用明显有别于Advisor或Supervisor。美国科学院(National Academy of Sciences)对Mentor一词作了如下描述:Mentor实质上就是那些能够给你提出忠告、对你进行教育、成为你的榜样、乃至与之交友的人。在实际生活中,Mentor的作用变得更加复杂化和多样化,但无论怎样,一个典型的、真正的Mentor应该具备以下基本特点: