Postdoc Mentoring Series Fall 2021
Postdoc Mentoring Series Fall 2021
We are pleased to announce this new series on mentoring. All postdocs, graduate students, faculty, staff, and community members are welcome! Check the full schedule below:
Research Mentoring: Setting a Framework for Effective Mentoring Relationships
Wednesday, September 15, 12:00 - 1:30 pm (Tucson time)
By definition, postdocs are in mentoring relationships with their primary mentor (PI). Postdocs also may serve as mentors to students. The mentoring relationship is crucial to the success of the mentee and to the quality of life of both the mentee and mentor. To help ensure that this relationship is healthy and productive, it is useful to enter into it with a framework in mind. Dr. Rick McGee will discuss a framework called Entering Mentoring developed by the Center for Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER, https://cimerproject.org/entering-mentoring/) at the University of Wisconsin and offer practical advice for implementing some of the core concepts. He will also introduce options for obtaining more in-depth training in mentoring skills.
Rick McGee, PhD, Associate Dean for Professional Development, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine
Recording is available HERE.
Maximizing the Postdoc Experience through Mentoring
Thursday, September 23, 10:00 – 11:00 am (Tucson time)
Although postdocs come to UArizona with a focus on research, they often find themselves in the role of mentor to undergraduate and graduate students, a role that postdocs may find both simultaneously gratifying and terrifying and one for which they have little to no preparation. In this session a group of postdocs and former postdocs will discuss some of the benefits of serving as a mentor as well as some of the strategies that helped them develop strong mentoring skills.
Keaton Wilson, PhD, Data Scientist, Martin & McCoy LLC
Morgan Carter, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Associate, School of Plant Sciences
Irene Shivaei, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Steward Observatory
Frans Tax, PhD, Professor, Molecular and Cellular Biology
Recording is available HERE.
Reflecting on Postdoc Mentoring: Insights from Student Mentees
Friday, October 15, 1:00 – 2:00 pm (Tucson time)
Although faculty serve as formal mentors to students, postdocs often serve as informal mentors. A postdoc’s role as mentor can strongly influence a student’s academic, professional, and even personal development. This session will look at postdoc mentoring from the perspective of students who have been mentored by postdocs. They will share their experiences along with tips for what makes a postdoc an effective mentor.
Caitlyn Flores, Undergraduate Student, Microbiology
Lia Ossanna, Graduate Student, School of Natural Resources and the Environment
Isabelle Tobey, Graduate Student, Immunology
Marc Zempare, Graduate Student, Neuroscience
Recording is available HERE.
Joining Forces: The Power of Peer Mentoring for Postdocs
Wednesday, October 27, 9:30 – 10:30 am (Tucson time)
Although much attention is given to the mentoring relationship between postdoc and mentor (PI), it is important to recognize that mentoring can also occur among postdocs. Peer-to-peer mentoring can be invaluable in offering perspective, support, and help with maintaining focus on one’s chosen career path. This panel discussion will focus on peer mentoring among postdocs, with tips on how to establish and maintain those relationships.
Meseret Hailu, PhD, Assistant Professor, Higher and Postsecondary Education, Arizona State University
Lacey John, MA, Director, Alumni Career and Professional Development
Ethan O’Brien, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Mathematics
Marie-Ange Rakotoniaina, PhD, Yale University
Recording available HERE.
Mentoring Up: Yes, You Can Guide Your Relationships with Those Mentoring You!
Wednesday, November 17, 12-1:00 pm (Tucson time)
Mentoring up refers to a set of strategies that can be used by a mentee to guide the mentoring relationship. It is a powerful approach that can be used to create a mentoring relationship that is healthy and maximally effective in moving the mentee toward their goals. This session is offered by Dr. Rick McGee who, along with his coauthors, introduced the concept of mentoring up. His focus will be on how postdocs can mentor up to get the most out of their postdoctoral experience, minimizing missteps and miscommunication, and aligning expectations.
Rick McGee, PhD, Associate Dean for Professional Development, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine
Recording is available HERE.
Tips and Strategies for Successful Mentoring Relationships: Faculty Perspectives
Friday, December 3, 1:30 – 2:30 pm (Tucson time)
Faculty who mentor postdocs face special challenges and opportunities in their relationships with their postdocs. The faculty mentor’s primary role is to help the postdoc develop new skills and prepare for their next career steps, while at the same time ensuring an adequate level of research productivity. A panel of seasoned postdoc mentors will discuss their views on how to establish and maintain successful mentoring relationships with postdocs and the role that postdocs can play in optimizing the quality of the relationship.
Jean-Marc Fellous, PhD, Professor, Psychology
George Gehrels, PhD, Professor, Geosciences
Michael Johnson, PhD, Assistant Professor, Immunology
Kathleen Prudic, PhD, Assistant Professor of Citizen and Data Science School of Natural Resources and the Environment
Recording available HERE.