In this series of interactive workshops designed for current graduate students and postdocs and open to those in all fields, you will develop essential research mentoring skills, particularly in disciplines where research is conducted collaboratively and in teams. Effective mentoring of student research is a key skill influencing everything from research productivity to motivation. Learn best practices for mentoring undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers, and develop planning and communication skills needed to guide individual mentees and research teams.

• Day and Time: TBA for Spring 2023
• Format / Location: Primarily offered as interactive Zoom workshops and discussions involving case studies and breakouts on supporting materials in a Canvas site. Some options for in-person gathering during the semester.
• Contact: Dr. Colleen McLinn, futurefaculty@cornell.edu or 607-255-2030
• The program will next be offered in Spring 2023.

Interested participants should apply prior to the start of the series with the expectation of attending all workshops and actively participating in small and large group discussions. Please advise the organizers of any dates you would need to miss or arrive late, and accessibility needs at registration or prior to the first session. Building Mentorship Skills program completion certificates will be provided for fully participating in at least 4 of 5 sessions (the public event with a special visiting speaker may count as one of these).

Past Schedule for Spring 2022

Planned for in-person (although we will have hybrid capability for quarantine needs, and may hold some sessions via Zoom depending on the course of the pandemic). Sessions will meet between 12:00 – 2:00 pm ET, with individual box lunches provided beforehand if possible based on current health and safety guidelines.

February 9, 2022 – What Makes a Good Mentor and Mentee? Exploring Learning, Motivation, and Values

• Understand key principles of learning and theories of motivation that can help you build a strong research group, and even learn more about yourself and values you wish to communicate to mentees.
• Meets remotely; Beginning at 12:30 pm ET

February 23, 2022 – Aligning Expectations and Guiding Doable Projects

• How do you design a doable project with a defined timespan for a relative novice in your discipline? Learn how to set expectations for mentor and mentee to make sure the project and relationship stay on track.
• Meets remotely; Beginning at 12:30 pm ET

March 9, 2022 – Creating Inclusive Research Settings

Featuring My Voice, My Story: Understanding the Untold Lived Experiences of Graduate and Professional Students

• Create and sustain a research group and academic climate in which each individual feels safe and supported. We will discuss how to create a welcoming environment for groups typically underrepresented in higher education, while reflecting on our own identities and experiences and how they may be strengths or blind spots in our mentoring. Guest presenter: Associate Dean Sara Xayarath Hernández.
• Primarily in person/hybrid; Beginning at 12:00 pm ET

March 22 and 23, 2022 – Public Talk: Cultivating Equitable Mentoring Ecosystems (Optional but highly recommended)

Dr. Beronda Montgomery, Michigan State University Foundation Professor and author of Lessons from Plants

• Explore effective means of cultivating mentoring as a place of collaborative learning and reciprocal cultivation, that promotes the growth and success of all involved in the mentoring process. Keynote talk details
• Primarily in person; beginning at 11:00 am ET each day (March 22 will have a livestream)

March 30, 2022 – Creating Community Across Difference

• A new session with facilitators from the Intergroup Dialogue Project leading us through small and large group exercises in communication, tailored to this audience of early-career research mentors.
• Meets remotely; Beginning at 12:00 pm ET

April 13, 2022 – Handling Tricky Mentoring Situations

• Learn how to address some of the trickiest situations you might encounter when mentoring undergraduate researchers or graduate students, from modeling appropriate research ethics to sharing co-advised students. We will also discuss how you might solicit feedback and turn around projects that aren’t going as planned (from the mentor’s perspective).
• Meets remotely; Beginning at 12:30 pm ET

April 27, 2022 – Supporting Mentees’ Professional Development

Helping Students Present and Publish, and Writing Fair Letters of Recommendation

• Revisit some key ideas about effective communication to introduce your students to writing about and presenting their work. Learn how to write a fair letter of recommendation, and what not to say.
• Primarily in person/hybrid; Beginning at 12:30 pm ET

More Information

The Building Mentorship Skills for Academic Careers certificate program is sponsored by the Graduate School’s Future Faculty and Academic Careers office, and based on a highly regarded national curriculum. A similar course is offered in online, synchronous format through the CIRTL Network periodically. A compressed three-session version has been offered in the past for existing Cornell groups or units (e.g., Geneva AgriTech) who can confirm interest from 15 or more participants. Please inquire with futurefaculty@cornell.edu for more information.

Related Events

Research Mentoring Strategies for a Rewarding Summer

Took place: Thursday, June 9, 2022 from 10:00-11:30 am ET
701 Clark Hall
Box lunches available to go afterwards

Registration and logistics questions: Contact Nev Singhota, nks5
Program content questions: Contact Colleen McLinn, cmm252

Presenter: Dr. Colleen McLinn, Executive Director of Future Faculty and Academic Careers, Cornell Graduate School (futurefaculty@cornell.edu or 607-255-2030)

Join us for an interactive discussion and workshop about best practices for mentoring undergraduate researchers. We’ll use case studies and discussion prompts from the Center for Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research to explore questions such as: How can you set expectations for mentor and mentee to make sure the project and relationship stay on track? What are common challenges students face when getting started with research? How can we ensure mentees feel welcome and support their growth and confidence?

The workshop is tailored for graduate student and postdoc mentors of undergraduate researchers. However, other interested faculty/staff co-mentors are welcome to register and bring their perspectives and experiences to the discussion as well.