| Apply to Join Pier2Peer! Pier2Peer is an international mentorship program that pairs mentees who are new to ocean acidification work with experienced mentors in the field. The program aims to foster community among ocean acidification (OA) professionals, build long-term capacity to measure and address OA globally, and provide training opportunities to support careers in OA-related fields. Pier2Peer is currently accepting applications for mentees and new mentors! Apply by 30 October 2026 to be considered for the 2026-2027 Pier2Peer Cohort. Before applying, please review eligibility requirements and terms of reference on the Pier2Peer webpage. |
Mentee Eligibility Requirements
If you are new to the field of ocean acidification, we encourage you to apply to be a Pier2Peer mentee. Pier2Peer mentees can be at any career stage. The time limit to be a Pier2Peer mentee is 2 years, so if you have already been a mentee for two years under a previous match, you are no longer eligible to apply for the Pier2Peer program as a mentee.
Mentees are expected to be self-motivated and to lead the interactions by reaching out to the mentor, introducing themselves, and scheduling the initial and following meetings. It is recommended that the mentee think about their goals and what they would like to accomplish through this mentorship. They are expected to show up prepared for each meeting and to be respectful of the time the mentor
Mentor Eligibility Requirements
Any GOA-ON member who is an experienced or senior-level scientist and is actively engaged in ocean acidification research is encouraged to become a Pier2Peer mentor. A Pier2Peer mentor should be willing to regularly communicate with their mentee and should be invested in their mentee’s professional growth. Pier2Peer mentors should also be excited about the opportunity to work with mentees whose backgrounds or experiences may be different from their own.
Mentors are expected to be responsive to the mentee in a timely manner and to help support the mentee’s goals to the best of their ability. The mentor can also consider opportunities that they become aware of within their network and pass them on to the mentee, whether or not those opportunities are directly related to the mentor’s work. Mentors will be contacted on an annual basis to confirm their availability for the upcoming cohort of mentees.
Terms of Reference
The Pier2Peer Program supports active mentee/mentor pairs for one year, with the option to renew for a second year. The limit to participate in the program as a mentee is 2 years. To be considered an active participant, mentees must (1) complete the entrance and exit surveys distributed by the Pier2Peer Coordinator and (2) be in regular contact with their mentor. Mentors and mentees are expected to meet at least quarterly during their time in the Pier2Peer program. Participants are expected to be reliable, enthusiastic, willing to learn and grow, open to sharing knowledge and perspectives, and have aligned expectations on what they hope to gain from the experience.
Following completion of the Pier2Peer program, certificates of completion will be awarded to Pier2Peer mentees in good standing. To earn a certificate, mentees must complete the entrance and exit surveys distributed by the Pier2Peer Coordinator and be in quarterly contact with their mentor and/or in attendance at 2 or more Pier2Peer events throughout their tenure as a mentee.
The Pier2Peer Coordinator facilitates mentor/mentee matching, organizes Pier2Peer programming, and serves as a general resource to help mentee/mentor pairs gain the most from their Pier2Peer experience. To date, the Pier2Peer Coordinator sits within the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program and also serves on the GOA-ON Secretariat.
The Matching Process
When new mentors register for the Pier2Peer Program, their information will be used to generate mentor profiles that will be added to a mentor directory. A mentor profile will consist of biographical data, information about a mentor’s research focus and expertise, and details about their mentorship style. The mentor directory will be updated annually to reflect mentors who are available to accept new mentees for the upcoming cohort.
After mentees are accepted into the Pier2Peer program, they will be directed to the list of available mentors and asked to rank up to five possible mentors with whom they would like to work. By giving new mentees the opportunity to browse the profiles of available mentors, they can identify individuals whose interests, skills, and expertise are most aligned with their specific needs. During this process, the Pier2Peer coordinator may also provide suggestions to the mentees based on their application materials.
The Pier2Peer Coordinator will then use all of the information gathered from the mentors and mentees to suggest new pairs. Participants will be notified of their match via an email containing the name, contact information, and country of their partner.
Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON), 4 September 2026. More information.
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