ies ▁to ▁n urt ure ▁and ▁retain ▁talent ▁in ▁academ ia , ▁developing ▁strateg ies ▁for ▁effective ▁ment or ship ▁that ▁center ▁on ▁the ▁individual ▁and ▁their ▁specific ▁needs ▁and ▁goals . ▁Mont gom ery ▁has ▁also ▁worked ▁with ▁her ▁colle agues ▁to ▁create ▁sust ain able ▁opportun ities ▁for ▁career ▁development ▁and ▁enh ancement . ▁For ▁instance , ▁she ▁has ▁worked ▁with ▁the ▁American ▁Society ▁for ▁Micro bi ology ▁to ▁connect ▁research ▁scient ists ▁with ▁students ▁in ▁the ▁class room , ▁with ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Science ▁Foundation . ▁With ▁that ▁fund ing , ▁Mont gom ery ▁and ▁her ▁collabor ators ▁have ▁established ▁the ▁AS M - NS F ▁Le aders ▁In sp iring ▁Network s ▁and ▁Know ledge ▁( LIN K ) ▁program , ▁to ▁build ▁" links " ▁between ▁research ▁investig ators , ▁students , ▁and ▁educ ators . ▁She ▁also ▁served ▁six ▁years ▁as ▁Chair ▁of ▁the ▁AS M ▁Wat kins ▁Gr adu ate ▁Research ▁Fellow ship , ▁which ▁is ▁aim ed ▁at ▁increasing ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁under re present ed ▁groups ▁comple ting ▁their ▁doctor al ▁degrees ▁in ▁micro bi ology . ▁Mont gom ery ' s ▁efforts ▁have ▁also ▁focused ▁on ▁fac ulty ▁development ▁to ▁ensure ▁that ▁m ente es ▁grow ▁into ▁effective ▁ment ors ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁generation ▁and ▁continue ▁attract ing ▁and ▁prom oting ▁under re present ed ▁students ▁through ▁S TE M ▁care ers . ▁ ▁As ▁an ▁expert ▁in ▁effective ▁and ▁evidence - based ▁ment or ship , ▁Mont gom ery ▁serves