Mentoring Resources and Opportunities
Effective mentoring is an essential component of the research enterprise and can catalyze individuals' potential for discovery, curiosity, and professional growth. The PME supports the development of this central competency through purposeful and sustained training coupled with opportunities to practice mentoring skills in the context of research.
Mentor Training Resources
Faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students at PME have access to an array of resources aimed at supporting the process of effective research mentoring. Using evidence-based curricula, these training resources provide a framework for effective mentoring, forums for discussing mentoring methods and dilemmas with peers, and access to a community of practice that emphasizes reflective practices and the purposeful development of a mentoring philosophy.
This workshop series, led by PME faculty members and staff experienced in mentor training for higher education audiences, aims to increase mentoring competencies across the PME through discussion of case studies developed by the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER). Workshop topics include:
- Maintaining effective communication
- Aligning expectations
- Addressing equity and inclusion
- Fostering independence
- Cultivating ethical behavior
- Promoting professional development
- Promoting self-efficacy
- Enhancing work-life integration
The series comprises eight 1-hour workshops from January through May, and graduate students are invited to take part in as many or as few of the events as they are able to. Those graduate students who participate in all eight workshops this year and complete a final project, receive one-half teaching credit.
For more information please contact Laura Rico-Beck at lricobeck@uchicago.edu.
This workshop series, led in partnership between the BSD and PME, explores the key competencies of effective mentoring through the unique role of a postdoctoral scholar. Held in bi-weekly sessions over the winter and spring quarters, this training uses case studies and discussion-based engagement from a Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) curriculum and is led by university staff and faculty experienced in mentor training for researchers. Workshops include:
- Effective communication
- Aligning expectations
- Assessing understanding
- Addressing equity and inclusion
- Fostering independence
- Self-efficacy and ethical awareness
- Promoting professional development
- Work-life integration and articulating a mentoring philosophy
For more information please contact Laura Rico-Beck at lricobeck@uchicago.edu.
- UChicago Mentoring Resources for Faculty – include faculty mentor-training workshops, tools and resources, and supports to help faculty become more effective mentors and provide meaningful and timely feedback to students.
- Mentoring Graduate Students Toolkit – provides general principles for mentoring specific to the UChicago context and offers a number of additional resources that faculty can share with students.
- The Science of Effective Mentoring in STEMM - online guide for implementing effective mentorship from the relationship to the institutional levels.
Opportunities to Mentor
Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars have a variety of opportunities to develop and practice their mentoring skills while at the PME. In addition to research group mentoring, a number of programs provide more structured mentoring possibilities:
The PME Peer Mentoring Program aims to support students of all backgrounds in their transition to the first year of graduate school, the PME program structure, and the broader University of Chicago community. By pairing advanced graduate students with incoming PhD students, we work to facilitate connection and create an inclusive, student-driven social support network and community in the graduate program.
The program is managed by faculty, staff, and a group of student leaders who serve as advisors, and program planners and implementers.
If you have questions or would like to get involved, please contact Laura Rico-Beck at lricobeck@uchicago.edu
In addition to mentoring undergraduate students in their lab group, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars can also mentor undergraduates through the following programs:
Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars can mentor high school students and teachers through the following programs:
Awards and Certificates
Maria Lastra Excellence in Mentoring Award
Endowed by Prof. Juan de Pablo in honor of his mother, this annual award recognizes the contributions of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars who consistently serve as exemplary and effective mentors for graduate, undergraduate, and/or high school students from UChicago and/or visiting from other institutions, and contribute to the student’s personal growth, professional development, and/or academic success.
Submit your nominations for the 2023 Awards here
Mentoring Certificates
Additionally, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars who complete the PME Graduate Student Mentor Training Series or the PME/BSD Postdoc Mentor Training Series, both of which use CIMER training curricula, receive a certificate of completion for their work.
2023 Awardees
- Pablo Zubieta - postdoctoral researcher in the de Pablo Group
- Joe Reda - PhD student in the Hubbell Group
2022 Awardees
- Zhongyang Wang - postdoctoral researcher in the Nealey and Patel Groups
- Adarsh Suresh - PhD student in the Liu and Rowan Groups
2021 Awardees
- Elizabeth Lee - postdoctoral researcher, de Pablo and Galli Groups
- Kevin Singh - postdoctoral researcher, Bernien Group
- Aaron Alpar, PhD student, Hubbell Group
2020 Awardees
- Sam Bayliss - postdoctoral researcher, Awschalom Group
- Garrett Grocke - PhD student, Patel Group
2019 Awardees
- Priscilla Briquez - postdoctoral researcher, Hubbell Group
- Nick Jackson - postdoctoral researcher, de Pablo Group
- Chris Anderson - PhD student, Awschalom Group
- Elyse Watkins - PhD student, Hubbell Group
2022 Certificate Recipients
- Thao Cao - Huang Group
- Katerina Cheronis - Chevrier Group
- Jiachong Chu - Squires Group
- Alvin Dai - Wang Group
- Ben Doran - Mimee Group
- Yan Fang - Tirrell Group
- Hannah Fejzic - Amanchukwu Group
- Josh Glazier - Mimee Group
- Connor Horn - Guha Group
- Kate Johnson - Chevrier Group
- Alex Kolar - Zhong Group
- Thi Lien Le - Galli Group
- Calixto Mateos Salles - Swartz Group
- Linghan Mei - Chevrier Group
- Joseph Petrullo - Han Group
- Hongyi Zhang - Rowan & Patel Groups
2021 Certificate Recipients
- Shraddha Anand - Bernien Group
- Ben Ketter - Nealey Group
- Riley Knight - Esser-Kahn Group
- Charles Liang - Littlewood Group
- Carlos Medina Jimenez - Tirrell Group
- Madison Plaster - Chevrier Group
- Cyrus Zeledon - Awschalom Group
- Wen Zhuang - Chen Group
2020 Certificate Recipients
- Anchita Addhya - High Group
- Jack Arnold - Nagler Group
- Fabian Byléhn - de Pablo Group
- Sophia Chao-Wei Huang - Esser-Kahn Group
- Mike Jones - Ferguson Group
- Jeremiah Kim - Esser-Kahn Group
- Shi En Kim - Park Group
- Nick Macke - Rowan Lab
- Susan Okrah - Tay Lab
- Tony Pan - Huang Lab
- Joe Reda - Hubbell Lab
- Andrew Ye - Park Lab