Mariana Masteling, University of Michigan Mechanical Engineering research fellow, has been awarded the Sister Mary Ambrosia Fitzgerald Mentoring Award.
The award recognizes “individuals who have served as an exemplar of formal or informal mentorship of STEM students outside of classroom teaching.” It is one of four awards presented annually at the Willie Hobbs Moore award ceremony hosted by the U-M Women in Science and Engineering office.
Masteling is a research fellow in the Biomechanics Research Lab with James Ashton-Miller, Albert Schultz Collegiate Research Professor and Distinguished Research Scientist in Mechanical Engineering. Her primary research area is pelvic floor health, specifically in the prevention of pelvic floor injuries that happen during childbirth.
“This award is very special to me,” Masteling said. “Before I came to Michigan, I had a hard time finding mentors to guide me through my different academic and research options.”
Prior to her time at Michigan, Masteling started out as a medical student. She was told early on in her studies that she asked too many questions—a statement that pushed her toward becoming an engineer, where her questions would help find and solve problems.
“I don’t want anyone else to be told they ask too many questions,” she said. “There are never too many questions. I am happy to help answer any questions, and if I don’t know the answer, I will either help you find who does or we will discover it together.”
In her position as a research fellow, Masteling works directly with engineers, physicians, physical therapists, and students. She said that working in such a multidisciplinary environment has pushed her to learn many things that weren’t part of her formal education, including what it means to be a mentor.
“To me, mentorship is supporting others in reaching their goals,” she said. “We tend to think of mentorship as a one-way street, where you support others, normally our juniors. I believe mentorship is a two-way street. We learn so much from being a mentor, whether formally or informally. With every student I have worked with, I have learned at least one thing that has made me a better mentor for the next person who crosses my path.”
She added that mentorship extends beyond support for questions and projects, to include supporting personal interests or endeavors related to their academic pursuits.
“When you support others broadly, they will be there, too, when you need support, helping you out and sharing their knowledge and wisdom with you,” she said.