How Might Mentorship Empower Research Assistants? A Preliminary Exploration of Research Assistant Voices

Research Assistants (RAs) play a central role in advancing institutional research capacity, yet their lived experiences—particularly student RAs from equity-deserving groups and those working at polytechnics—remain underexamined in the literature. In recent years, Humber Polytechnic has increasingly been awarded sizable research grants, thus expanding its applied research footprint. This paper focuses on the perspectives of RAs at Humber Polytechnic who self-identify with one or more equity-deserving groups. The data sources informing this mixed-methods project include 36 surveys and two focus group sessions that included questions about various elements involved in the research assistantship, such as securing a position, utilizing previous training, and opportunities for professional advancement. The findings highlight the strengths and challenges of current research assistantship experiences and address topics including position acquisition, onboarding, training, and recommendations for improvement. While the findings reveal varied experiences, common themes that emerged include the definition of research mentorship, the importance of professional networks, training, and opportunities to improve the research assistantship process at Humber Polytechnic and beyond.