Mentoring (Resources)

Mentoring

Helping You Grow

The SAWE is committed to helping you grow your knowledge and skills. We have established a Mentoring Program to match you with an experienced Mass Properties Engineer who can provide you with technical and career guidance. Note that all conversations are confidential. We encourage you to take advantage of this amazing opportunity which is free to members! Use the buttons below to learn more and sign up as a mentee or mentor.

News

FAQ

Why Become a Mentee?

Mentoring dates back to the dawn of our world. Sons were taught the tricks of their trade by their fathers, daughters by their mothers. In modern times it is a little bit different, but luckily we can communicate with the experts holding the knowledge we need, whereever they are located. This is especially true for our very specific profession. The SAWE Mentoring Program supports you to find a mentor to teach you the tricks of trade you need.

What do you need help with? Read the articles below to find out what mentors and mentees have to say on the subject.

Testimonials

I Highly Recommend the SAWE Mentorship Program

Eve George, October 2025

"I'm so grateful to the SAWE Mentorship Program for matching me with Damian Yañez as my mentor. When first starting our mentorship relationship, Damian was able to provide me with invaluable career guidance as I was transitioning between companies. Damian's experience and perspective helped me gain confidence in my new role and reassured me of the path I was on. ... I would highly recommend the SAWE mentorship program to anyone who is interested!"

Expand your life and leadership opportunities!

What do leaders, movers and shakers, and generally successful people have in common? They have insights into life and work skills that set them apart from others. And where do these insights originate? The answer is they had a Mentor – a person who proffered their insights and know-how to them, metaphorically extending a hand to others. SAWE Executive Director William Boze illustrates the power of mentoring in Take the Hand. In this video, Bill tells of his experience with an intimidating higher-up in his organization who offered a means of personal and work-related growth to him. When that hand was extended, he took that hand, and now he exhorts others to “Take the Hand” when it is offered.

The SAWE has more than a dozen highly experienced Mentors who are offering their expertise to SAWE members who “Take the Hand”. All their expertise, knowledge, and life experiences are there to be shared for free to SAWE members at SAWE Mentoring . Take this proffered hand and continue your own rise.

A Mass Properties Engineers Tale

Clint Stephenson, December 2023

"Early in my professional career, I joined the American Space Shuttle Program as a Mass Properties Engineer (MPE). My technical manager was highly supportive of career development. My manager introduced me to the Society of Allied Weight Engineers (SAWE). Per ANSI/AIAA S-120A-2015(2019) you could say I was an E1 on the Mass Growth Allowance (MGA) table with significant engineering growth to be attained over the course of the years to come."

A Wealth of Knowledge Waiting to be Picked Up

Dirk Petersen, November 2023

"After 34 years in the Mass Properties department of a big aerospace company I retired from an occupation which always fascinated me. I had been trained on the job, more experienced colleagues had passed their knowledge, I tried to enhance the knowledge available in the company. I knew what I knew, and I knew what I did not know."

Becoming a Mentee – “If You Don’t Ask, You Don’t Get”

Robert Zimmerman, July 2023

"What common characteristic does a successful Mass Properties Engineer share with a moderately successful 1970’s rock band? Both have benefited from a philosophy that can be summed up as If You Don’t Ask, You Don’t Get.”

Apply as Mentee

Mentoring Subjects

Technical Mentoring	Non-Technical Mentoring
Static Balance	Interpersonal Relations
Dynamic Balance	Effective Communications
Moments of Inertia	Public Speaking
Products of Inertia	Customer/Vendor Interaction
Uncertainties	Difficult/Crucial Conversations
Mass Properties Lookup Sources	Work/Life Balance
Weight Control	Resolving Schedule Conflicts
Software Development	Other Non-Technical Mentoring
Estimation
Calculation
Measurement
Statistics
Other Technical Mentoring

Why Become a Mentor?

Being a mentor has many benefits including:

Satisfaction – your knowledge is not lost.
Helps the next generation learn from your experience.
Improves your network.
Provides peer and external recognition.
Demonstrates confidence in your capabilities.
Fosters distribution of knowledge within our profession.
Improves your knowledge (typically a mentor learns as much as the mentee).

Be sure your knowledge will be used in the future and not lost after you retire. Become a mentor today!

Apply as Mentor

News

June 06, 2025

Status
- 9 Mentees
- 13 Mentors

FAQ

How will a mentor support the mentee?
- The mentor will guide the mentee to gain knowledge.
How is the matching done?

- Based on the stated goal(s) of the mentee as indicated in the questionnaire, the Mentoring Committee will search for available mentors and propose them to the mentee.

- The mentee will contact the selected mentor.

What is the cost of mentoring?
- Mentoring is free of charge for the mentee, mentoring is voluntary and the mentor receives no compensation.

Does a mentee need to have experience in Mass Properties?

- A basic understanding in engineering, mechanics and physics is required.

How does a mentor apply?

- An application form is linked on the Mentoring webpage.
- A guideline is linked to the form.
- For questions "Contact Us".

How long will the mentoring take?

- The duration of the mentoring depends on the goals set and the availability of mentor and mentee. Both will agree on the duration during their kick-off meeting.

How does a mentee apply?

- An application form is linked on the Mentoring webpage.
- A guideline is linked to the form.
- For questions "Contact Us".

Who is responsible to drive the mentoring?

- The mentee is in the driver's seat.
- A documentation form will be available on the Mentoring webpage.

Will the documentation of the mentoring be shared?

- This document will only be shared with the express consent of mentor and mentee.

Is mentoring only available for technical subjects?

- Both technical and non-technical mentoring will be available.

Do I receive a certificate of completion?

- A certificate will not be provided.

When is the mentoring completed?

- The mentoring shall be considered completed if the mentee and mentor agree that:
  - The defined expectations have been fulfilled or
  - The sessions do not advance as expected.

Will the mentoring be online?

- Most of the mentoring sessions will be virtual, a case of proximity between mentor and mentee face to face sessions can be done. Mentor and mentee agree on the methods of communication.

What happens if I, as a mentor or mentee, do not get along with the other?

- If the match is not compatible, the Mentoring Committee will suggest an alternate mentor upon notification.

Do I need to be a member of the SAWE?

- Both mentor and mentee need to be members in good standing with the SAWE for the duration of the mentoring. Rules of SAWE-membership apply.

Is Mentoring linked to Certification?

- One means of fulfilling the requirement for renewal of the Mass Properties Engineering Certificate is to be a mentor.
- The mentee will gain knowledge required for the Certification exam.

Whom do I contact in case of additional questions?

- For questions on Mentoring "Contact Us".