Mentoring Program
The goal of the program is to optimize the educational and professional experiences of students attending the annual ASB Meeting by creating the opportunity for face-to-face interaction with a mentor who has been matched according to the mentee’s educational and professional goals.
All current members of ASB can participate. We are seeking both students and senior scientists who are interested in participating in the program. If you would like to participate as a mentee or mentor, sign-ups will be available during registration for the annual meeting. The coordinators will find suitable matches between students (mentees) and mentors based on research interests and/or special requests.
We envision the following types of interactions between the student and the mentor to take place at the ASB meeting:
- The student will contact the mentor to begin communicating about meeting at the meeting.
- The mentor will introduce the student to colleagues and help the student establish a professional network.
- The mentor will spend a lunch/dinner with the student discussing the student’s educational and/or career goals.
- The mentor will share career experiences with the student.
- The mentor will attend the (poster or podium) presentation of the student and provide constructive feedback.
Mentee Responsibilities
What should the mentee do initially?
- The mentee should take the responsibility for the initial contact.
- To do this, send the mentor an email explaining interests and background.
- Share CV’s (curriculum vitaes) or resume before attending the meeting to give each other background and ideas for discussion.
- Before meeting the mentor, the mentee should read some of the mentor’s published work, and come to the meeting with questions and topics to discuss.
- The details of the initial meeting (e.g., day/time) between mentee and mentor at the annual ASB meeting should be planned prior to going to the meeting.
Discussions with Mentor at Annual Meeting and/or During Correspondence
- Mentee should express their educational and career goals to mentor.
- Discussions should be designed to provide professional career strategies, skills and guidance from the mentor’s experiences in the scientific/academic community.
- Discussion topics may include (and others mentee and mentor choose to discuss):
- summer research opportunities
- selecting a career path
- achieving promotion/tenure and/or other career advancement opportunities
- obtaining extramural funding
Activities with Mentor at the Annual Meeting
- Have discussions on topics as suggested above.
- Attend each other’s presentations/posters.
- Share a private meal at least once during the meeting.
- Go to at least one of the scheduled events together.
- Accompany the mentor during informal times (e.g., coffee breaks) so that you can be introduced to the mentor’s students and/or colleagues also attending the meeting.
- Make plans for other activities for rest of year.
Mentor Responsibilities
Professional participants who serve as mentors are a vital component to a student’s professional development. Students attend the ASB Meeting with expectations of gaining new knowledge in the various stages of educational and career development and increasing scientific expertise.
Remember what it was like when you were in your mentee’s position. Take the initiative to suggest discussion topics, share personal experiences, pose questions, and engage in small talk until a relevant topic for discussion emerges. Be responsive to your mentee’s questions and comments.
Students are seeking:
- Guidance in navigating the pathways from undergraduate and graduate student to full-time scientist/academician
- Opportunities to become a member of your research team (summer internship or graduate position)
- Advice on how to balance career and family
- Introduction to ideas for potential areas of research
- Information on understanding the impact of educational choices
- Mentoring in the professional skills key to a successful scientific career
- Networking
What to Expect:
- Mentee is encouraged to make the intial contact with you, the mentor.
- To do this, mentee should send you an email explaining his/her interests and background.
- Share CV’s (curriculum vitaes) or resume before attending the annual ASB meeting to give both of you background and ideas for discussion.
- Before meeting you, the mentee should read some of your published work and come to the ASB meeting prepared with questions and topics to discuss.
- The details of the initial meeting (e.g., day/time) between mentee and mentor at the annual ASB meeting should be planned prior to going to the meeting.
- Be prepared to discuss other potential activities to do during the meeting, e.g., a private meal, or times when mentee can be introduced to your other students and/or colleagues (see end, “Mentor Meeting Activities…”.)
Discussion Topics (for Annual Meeting or During Other Correspondence)
- Discussions should be designed to provide professional career strategies, skills and guidance from the mentor’s experience in the scientific/academic community
- Topics may include:
- summer research opportunities
- selecting a career path
- achieving promotion/tenure or other career advancement opportunities.
- Mentor should share how they arrived in their position today, hardships encountered and how they overcame them.
- Mentor should be open to questions mentee may have on research direction, education, family, and career.
- Mentor should inquire into the educational and career goals of the mentee.
- Mentor may like to consider staying in contact with mentee via email even after the meeting has ended
Mentor Meeting Activities with Mentee
- Attend the mentee’s poster or podium presentation.
- Offer constructive criticism and insight on their work.
- Have a private breakfast, lunch, or dinner with just the mentee at least once during the meeting.
- Go to one of the scheduled meeting events together.
- Introduce your mentee to students and colleagues.