What is your name and job title?

Beth White, Ph.D.; Education Project Manager.

Where do you work/study?

I work for Oak Ridge Associated Universities.

How did you get into your field?

After several years in Educational Development at an R-1 in the southeastern United States, I wanted to transition my skillset into something with broader impacts. When I found this opportunity to assist early career researchers and students in STEM fields while serving a broader focus, I jumped at the chance.

How long have you been using Mendeley?

I have been using Mendeley since 2012, when a good friend introduced me. I moved over to this amazing tool and never looked back!

What were you using prior to Mendeley?

I used to use EndNote.

Why did you decide to become an Advisor?

I decided to become an advisor to share with others this fantastic tool that completely revamped my research!

Do you have any tips for training new users on Mendeley?

Don’t ever lose your enthusiasm for Mendeley and never forget what it was like when you didn’t yet understand all of the things this tool helps you do. That way you will be most effective in teaching others to navigate within the platform.

What makes your Mendeley events successful?

I’m still so thankful to have found this tool and so grateful that it is continually updated and evolving based on feedback. I haven’t lost my enthusiasm and I try to pass that along to others and tailor the training to their environment.

What researcher would you like to work with or meet, dead or alive?

I would love to speak with Geert Kelchtermans and discuss his work in studying the interactions between individual educators and their specific contexts as it relates to lecturer/professor induction in higher education.

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned this week?

I have been reading a lot about the differences in the ways the various COVID vaccines are manufactured. As a result, I have expanded my understanding of biomedical engineering as well as epidemiology.

What is the best part about working in research?

Continuous improvements and discovering new ways to accomplish tasks and promote STEM education.

And the most challenging part about working in research?

The largest challenge is being a social scientist in a STEM environment. However, we are making progress in collaboration and adding a qualitative voice to physical sciences education.

What is the one thing you want people to know about Mendeley?

This research tool will transform and organize your work!

Do you have any advice for young researchers?

Choose a bibliographic organizer and stick with it! Beware that access to products may end with your graduation or, as a faculty member, when you leave a particular institution. Mendeley, and all of the notes and articles you’ve stored there that support your research, goes with you if you relocate.

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Interested in becoming a Mendeley Advisor yourself? Find out more about the Advisor Community here.