At the end of 2025, ALPSP invited our Mentors & Mentees from the year to talk about their experiences with the ALPSP International Mentorship Programme. Gathered together in a short series of blog posts across January, we hear from the individuals who have taken part in the programme, and the many ways they have benefitted from doing so. 

In today's publication, we hear from Mentor & Managing Editor, Jhoan Toro-Mendoza, regarding the nine months he spent sharing his industry knowledge, and the value of doing so for both him and his Mentee. We also hear from Mentee & Senior Publisher, Kate Porter, about pushing beyond her comfort zone to join the scheme, and ultimately deciding to rejoin in 2026 as a Mentor herself!

Mentor, 

Jhoan Toro-Mendoza, Managing Editor at American Chemical Society International, Oxford, UK. 

It’s not always easy to truly value the knowledge you have until you share it and see how it touches someone else’s life and career. Over the last nine months, mentoring through ALPSP has been a vivid reminder of that simple truth. What began as an opportunity to “give back” became a two‑way exchange that sharpened my perspective, stretched my thinking, and reaffirmed the power of structured and compassionate guidance. 

The real catalyst was the respectful, warm atmosphere we built together: a safe and productive space where questions weren’t just welcomed, but we were both hungry to find an answer for them. In that environment, it was easier to set clear goals, break them into achievable steps, and then follow up with accountability and kindness. We established a cadence, honest reflections, and practical next actions that kept momentum alive without ever feeling overwhelmed. We focused on solving three main technical aspects: 1) How journals perform compared to their competitors, 2) How to improve processing time, and 3) How to engage new/existing reviewers. All these leading questions allowed us to identify other problems and work on new approaches. During our sessions, we not only covered these technical topics but also embraced soft‑skills challenges that often define whether ideas actually take root. On the technical side, our conversations focused on turning complex information/analysis into clear deliverables, choosing the right tools and methods for the task at hand, and seeing how small process improvements compound into outsized results. On the soft‑skills side, we practiced the delicate arts of prioritization, active listening, and giving and receiving feedback, skills that are deceptively simple in concept but transformative in practice. We worked on communicating with clarity and empathy, owning decisions, and navigating the inevitable trade‑offs between ambition and sustainability. 

And yet, as much as I offered, I also received. These nine months gave me not only the awareness of the value of my own knowledge but, perhaps more importantly, pushed me to expand my horizons and learn a great deal from my mentee. That reciprocal growth is one of mentoring’s hidden gifts. In this way, the act of mentoring becomes a mirror: it reveals the strengths of your experience and the places where new learning is overdue. 

If there is one lesson I’ll carry forward, it’s that knowledge that stays private may be useful, but knowledge that’s offered generously can change trajectories. Mentoring reminds us that growth is a collective effort. It asks us to be vulnerable, to revisit principles, and to meet new challenges with humility and courage, whether we’re the mentor, the mentee, or as often happens, both. 

I’m deeply grateful to ALPSP for making this experience possible and for building a platform that prioritizes connection, safety, and progress. To anyone considering mentoring or seeking a mentor, I’d say: do it. The path won’t be linear, but it will be meaningful. 

Mentee,

Kate Porter, Senior Publisher at IOP Publishing. 

I have worked in scholarly publishing since 2017 and have had a variety of roles across peer review and journals development. The scholarly publishing industry is dynamic and evolving rapidly, so I felt it was a great time to network and connect with other professionals to share different perspectives. 

Initially, I was a little nervous about signing up for the scheme, as I often find meeting new people intimidating. However, I decided to push myself out of my comfort zone and join! I wasn’t sure whether to sign up as a mentee or a mentor, but in the end, I chose to be a mentee. As a current line manager, I was keen to learn from an experienced professional who could offer advice and guidance on becoming a better manager. 

I was matched with Sarah, my mentor, in April, and we met regularly each month. The entire process was absolutely fantastic. Sarah was supportive and approachable, and we connected immediately. Together, we set a few key goals for the mentoring scheme and reviewed progress during each meeting. It was incredibly helpful to discuss the challenges I faced and realise that I’m not alone—others experience similar issues! Sarah recommended some excellent management books, which I found particularly useful, and gave great advice on delegating tasks. She really boosted my confidence to approach tasks and problems differently, and this is something I will carry forward throughout my career. 

I also attended a few mentee catch-up sessions, which I found valuable. It was great to connect with other mentees, share experiences, and exchange tips. The mentorship scheme coordinators were brilliant as well, providing guidance on how to make the most of the program, scheduling check-in sessions, and offering excellent resources on organising effective meetings. 

Overall, I found the scheme extremely beneficial. I believe I have developed my skills as a manager and gained a deeper understanding of the wider publishing industry. I’ve decided to sign up for the mentorship scheme again next year—this time as a mentor! Sarah truly inspired me, and I hope to be able to inspire and support someone in turn. 

 

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About Jhoan

Jhoan is a Venezuelan physicist, industry advisor, and managing editor currently based in Oxford. He joined the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research at 19, where he started working in colloidal systems, in particular, emulsion stability. He obtained his Ph.D. in physics from the same institute and moved to the USA for a postdoctoral position to complete the analysis of the coalescence of emulsion droplets. He returned to his home country to start his research group and was appointed as the head of the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Physics. After six active and professional successful years, due to the situation in Venezuela, Jhoan decided to move to Spain in pursuit of a new challenge, working in protein-nanoparticle interactions and medicine applications. After three years, he and his family moved again, this time to Oxford, where a new chapter began, this time as managing editor for the American Chemical Society. 

 

About Kate

Kate Porter is Senior Publisher at IOP Publishing where she develops and implements the strategy for the materials science portfolio of journals. Kate has worked at IOP Publishing for nine years and has had a variety of roles, including Associate Editor and Publisher. 

 

About the ALPSP Mentorship Scheme

New for 2026!

We’re excited to introduce Self Match to our programme this year. Designed to empower you to take control of your mentorship journey. Whether you're looking for guidance or eager to support others, Self Match gives you the freedom to discover, explore, and connect with the people who inspire you most, helping you identify the match that aligns most with your ambitions and growth.

• More control over who you connect with
• More visibility into the community of mentors and mentees
• More meaningful matches based on shared goals
• More flexibility in building relationships when the time feels right

Self-Match will open on 3 February 2026. You will be able to browse your recommended matches based on our customised algorithm, and search by skills and goals, then select the person you would like to be matched with.

You can send them a brief message explaining why you’ve chosen them and what you’re hoping to achieve. Participants will be able to make one request at a time, and respondents will have 14 days to accept or decline. If they accept, you’re matched and you loop begins. If they decline, you can continue to explore other matches.

And don’t forget our programme is open all year round so new mentors and mentees can join the self-match pool at any time.