Launched in early 2021, when much of the world was still facing lockdowns and isolation, the initiative was driven by the EMBL Alumni Association (EAA) Board to foster collaboration and curiosity across sites, disciplines, and career stages. At the time, Fatima Gebauer <\/strong>(Group Leader, CRG Barcelona), then Chair of the EAA Board, saw mentoring as a powerful way to strengthen community ties: <\/p>\n\n\n\n “To me, it was clear that having a mentoring programme within a community of alumni dedicated to so many different types of jobs would be a wonderful resource. I’m very proud to see that the mentoring programme, which began as a pilot exercise while I was Chair, has continued to grow and benefit and increasing number of members of our community.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The pilot scheme paired alumni mentors and mentees from across the globe. Peter Papagiannis<\/strong>, then Alumni Relations Officer, played a pivotal role in launching the programme: <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe created a space for shared experiences, mutual learning, and support\u2014allowing alumni to grow together, both personally and professionally.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n After leaving EMBL in 2022 to take up a role at the University of Auckland, Peter\u2014now an EMBL alumnus himself\u2014joined the programme as a mentee. He was matched with Erin Tranfield<\/strong> (Head of the VIB Bioimaging Core, Ghent, Belgium), with whom he still meets regularly: <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHaving Erin as a mentor has enabled my growth as a team leader tremendously. Regardless of sector, we all need support to become better leaders. It was a real gift to have one-to-one time with her and benefit from her expertise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Erin, in turn, highlights how reciprocal the experience has been:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat surprises me most is how much I learn through these conversations. Mentorship isn\u2019t just about guiding\u2014it\u2019s about growing. Peter\u2019s drive to learn and lead inspires me to reflect more deeply, think more clearly, and evolve as a leader myself. I always look forward to our discussions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the years, the programme has expanded to include current EMBL staff and fellows<\/strong>, enriching connections even further. For example, Aditya Sankar<\/strong> (Scientific Visitor Programme and Training Lead at EMBL) engaged with an alumnus mentor in his field of interest:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt was incredibly valuable to frame my career hopes and goals within my personal values and life context. My mentor gave me practical guidance, different perspectives, and thoughtful advice. I am deeply grateful for the experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Similarly, Moritz Winker<\/strong> (ARISE Fellow 2023-2025) connected with two alumni to explore different career paths:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy first mentor, working in academic administration, offered valuable insights\u2014even though it wasn\u2019t the best long-term fit. Later, I connected with another alumnus in the pharmaceutical industry, who helped me understand both the challenges and benefits of applying scientific expertise in a corporate setting. These conversations were instrumental in evaluating my options.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/08_Fatima_200.jpg\")