hi folks! this is a living document, meaning it will evolve over time 🦖.
what I expect from you (mentee) 📖:
- set personal goals 🎯 – think about what you want out of this experience and how we can achieve those goals. I am a strong advocate for learning new skills as well as applying them to our work. if you decide that you want to explore areas that are not our lab’s strength, that is also great too – learning is a big part of our journey.
- meet with me regularly to discuss science, progress, but also how you can best succeed ✨. our research plan is not rigid; we will adapt to best suit your needs and how we can grow to best reach your goals. sometimes major life changes happen or you change your mind about your future and what you want out of this experience. I want you to feel comfortable and never pressured to hide things. through trust, we can work together to figure out a roadmap for your work.
- learn how to plan, design, and perform scientific research 🔬. this is an important part of being a successful scientist, and the same skills can be applied to other aspects of life. planning is difficult but having some ‘organized chaos’ is much better than ‘chaos’. by having some level of organization, we can save ourselves from future anxiety and panic (although this is sometimes inevitable, for everyone!).
- be open, honest, and maintain good communication with everyone (not just your mentor!) 👋.
- be engaged in research activities and learn how to give and receive critical feedback 🌟. one major aspect of research that is often overlooked is scientific communication. we need to develop strong communication skills to convey our results, as well as to provide suggestions to help others with their research. by speaking regularly with others in our lab, even casually, we can learn a lot about the ins and outs of certain techniques and stimulate scientific thinking. for example, think about how much time could be saved if you had found out months ago that something you wanted to try didn’t work!
- treat everyone with respect, regardless of age, position, or identity 🥰. nobody enjoys an unhappy workplace, and I want people to enjoy their time in our lab, together. it is understandable that differences in opinion will arise, either scientifically or in other contexts, but we need to be respectful of each other. if there are problematic issues, please do not internalize it and speak with me about it.
- be thoughtful and help uplift everyone in the lab (builds off previous bullet point) 🙌. our goal is to build and maintain a team where we thrive off good vibes. I will expect you to also play a role in interviewing prospective candidates who apply to our lab – everyone will have a chance to provide feedback to me and the decision to invite someone to join us will be made together.
what you can expect from me (mentor) 👩🔬:
- I will make time for you to meet with me in formal and informal conversations (scheduled meetings or just impromptu meetings) ⏰. we will meet formally once every week to discuss science, but also anything else you’d like to talk about. whether it’s about a cool paper you’ve read, about something you want to nerd out about, or even life issues – my door is always open to you. it is important that you feel comfortable in our discussions, but also, I want you to only discuss personal subjects if you feel comfortable sharing them.
- I will help guide you design your research project and help you set and accomplish realistic scientific goals 🦄. we will work together to create a cohesive scientific story and I will help you form collaborations as needed. my biggest goal is to set you up for success; we will work together to help you reach whatever career goals you decide to set for yourself.
- I will help you develop strong scientific communication skills and encourage you to communicate/present your work to the scientific community 🌿. I will ask you to present regularly in the community our lab is in, and I expect you to present at important conferences, at least once a year. I will also provide opportunities for you to learn the peer review process and we will review papers together.
- I will always be supportive, encouraging, and respectful 🌈. being energized and motivated is one major key to being successful in life, not just in science. I will never put you down and will help you figure out ways to overcome whatever hurdles you may face.
- I will be your advocate and stand by you and listen to you 💪. sometimes, science is not a kind place. I will always advocate for you, whether it is in committee meetings, departmental meetings, or in a conference setting. bullying has no place in academia and I will always stand up for you. if you feel like your voice is not being heard or your opinions are being drowned out, please come talk to me and I will work together with you on amplifying your thoughts and messages.
thank you for reading to the end!