The privilege of Mentorship

In the Guru-Shishya prampara (tradition) of India, there is a timeless “doha” (couplet) by the poet saint Kabir that says:

"Guru Govind Dou Khade, Kake Laagun Paay. Balihari Guru Aapne, Jin Govind Diyo Bataay."

It translates to: "If both my teacher and God were to appear before me, whose feet should I touch first? I would first offer my respects to my teacher, for it is they who showed me the way to God." This doha brings an immense sense of the great honor and responsibility of mentorship. Today my career and my achievements are all a result of mentorship of many. My teachers have often said that they are very happy to see my career trajectory.

A Full Circle Moment

Today, I feel the truth of this sentiment more deeply than ever. It is with great pride and a deep sense of gratitude that I announce the successful graduation of my first doctoral student, Dr. Noortje Wauben. I have benefited from an amazing group of mentors and teachers who have helped me become who I am, and today, that journey has come full circle. To witness a student's journey from a promising candidate to a confident, pioneering leader is a great reward of being an academic.

A Serendipitous Beginning

Our journey together began with a touch of serendipity. As a recently hired faculty member, I was seeking a student for a new project merging the social and ecological histories of Navajo forestry. Just as I was losing hope of finding the right fit, an email arrived from Noortje. My first impression of Noortje was of a quiet, deep thinker whose writing was exceptional. Our search committee immediately realized we had found a special candidate.

A Significant Task

The research task we gave her was significant and complex: to develop an entirely new approach to merge the social and ecological history of a landscape. This had never been done before. The first thing to know about Noortje is that she possesses a high degree of self-determination and grit. She began with a healthy suspicion of whether this was even possible, but then launched into a highly comprehensive literature review of adaptive cycles.

Forging a New Path

This led to her first major contribution: a rigorous, 7-step procedure for applying adaptive cycles to natural resource management. She was systematic, had a keen attention to detail, and did not hesitate to call out shoddy work, even if it was done by senior scholars. Her intellectual resilience was tested when it came to convince peer reviewers that this approach was novel. Noortje took the criticism with grace, stood her ground, and through deliberation and consistently detailed responses, she won them over.

The Journey Continues

Today, Dr. Wauben is already making her mark. She is now in the Netherlands, applying her social-ecological expertise to the critical field of regenerative agriculture.

Standing on the Shoulders of Mentors

Dr. Noortje Wauben's success is a testament to her own power of grit, integrity, and brilliant thinking. For me, it is also a moment that has made me reflect on the voices that shaped my own path. It reminds me of my kindergarten teacher who taught me integrity; of my mother who taught me to have faith in my own capacity; of my father who taught me humility; of my karate friend who taught me honor; of Dr. Yogesh Dubey who encouraged me to take the plunge; and of my PhD advisor who taught me to become an independent thinker.

The Ultimate Reward

Today, I can finally understand what my teachers must have felt when they saw me graduate and achieve my own career milestones. It has been a true honor to carry the lessons from my teachers forward by participating in Dr. Wauben's journey.