Navigating Academic Brokering: Enhancing belongingness in scientific training programs

Abstract

As more psychologists engage with marginalized communities for research, the lack of diversity in the academic workforce and inadequate cultural sensitivity training often leads to relying on trainees from underrepresented communities to bridge these gaps – a phenomenon we term “academic brokering.” Academic brokering disproportionately burdens underrepresented trainees, tasking them with facilitating their mentors’ research by serving as intermediaries between the mentor and the marginalized community to which the mentee belongs, while simultaneously navigating their academic and professional development. This practice introduces significant challenges for trainees, including balancing institutional barriers, cultural expectations, community service pressures, and advocacy efforts. This added burden can exacerbate existing stressors, leading to burnout, impeded productivity, and higher attrition rates among underrepresented trainees. Reliance on academic brokering not only places undue pressure on trainees but also risks compromising the quality and authenticity of research with marginalized communities, as it fails to address the systemic issues of cultural sensitivity and workforce diversity. This paper explores the concept of academic brokering and its impact on trainees, concluding with practical recommendations for increasing diversity in scientific training programs, integrating culturally responsive mentoring, fostering resilience among underrepresented trainees, and advocating for training program level policies to create more equitable academic environments.