On behalf of the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) and the DE-CTR ACCEL grant, it is our pleasure to invite you to participate in a workshop aimed at supporting your continued efforts to optimize your mentoring relationships through mentor training. This all-day session will take place at the DuPont Experimental Station in Wilmington, DE.
The purpose of Research Mentor Training is to improve mentorship skills and to expand our network of Mentor Champions. Mentor Champions are faculty at Nemours, ChristianaCare, Delaware State University, or the University of Delaware who have completed this mentorship training and agree to support local mentors, to assist with training sessions regarding best practices in mentoring, and to help engage new faculty with the multi-institutional ACCEL Program supporting clinical and translational research. Mentor Champions will serve as members of the ACCEL Mentoring Oversight Committee (MOC) representing faculty mentoring programs at their home institution and the mentoring needs of mid-career investigators.
Registration
Seats are limited, and preregistration is required. If you or any of your faculty are interested in participating, please email Mentoring@de-ctr.org.
Workshop Overview:
Research mentor training is an evidence-based, interactive approach that engages mentors in collective problem solving and connects them with resources to optimize their mentoring practices.
The curricula, called Entering Mentoring, is for mentors of research trainees. It was originally developed for mentors across science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) disciplines at different career stages, working with undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty. The training is designed to help mentors develop skills for engaging in productive, culturally responsive, research mentoring relationships– relationships that optimize the success of both mentors and mentees. You can read more about the development of these training materials here.
These curricula address important topics and concepts in research mentoring by creating learning communities and engaging mentors in activities, assignments, case scenarios, and facilitated discussions to solve mentoring dilemmas and share successful mentorship strategies. Themes include:
- Aligning Expectations
- Articulating Your Mentoring Philosophy and Plan
- Assessing Understanding
- Cultivating Ethical Behavior
- Enhancing Cultural Awareness
- Enhancing Work-Life Integration
- Fostering Independence
- Fostering Wellbeing
- Maintaining Effective Communication
- Promoting Mentee Research Self-Efficacy
- Promoting Professional Development
- Reflecting on Diversity & Establishing a Practice of Inclusion
The Entering Mentoring curricula series addresses the NIGMS guidelines regarding the preparation of mentors involved in training grants.
Why is this training important?
Research mentor training has been tested and shown to be effective in increasing mentoring knowledge, skills, and behavior. Furthermore, culturally responsive interactions between mentors and mentees can help historically underrepresented mentees successfully progress in their research careers, becoming effective mentors, scientific leaders, and research team members of the future.
The National Academies report The Science of Effective Mentorship in STEMM recommends Entering Mentoring as one form of mentorship education that can help improve mentoring relationships.