We acknowledge:
- Discovering knowledge takes time and hardwork.
- Self-reflect and realize our amazing accomplishments so far and our goals/opportunities for development.
- We are a team and our collective and individual successes depend on each other.
- Together we are responsible for creating a safe and respectful work environment that facilitates breakthroughs into how DNA loops form and function in gene expression and control of cell identity.
My commitments to you as a mentor:
- I am your advocate, defender, and coach.
- I will provide the resources you need to succeed: financial, time, training, knowledge, safe and respectful work environment, encouragement.
- I am responsive to requests for assistance, feedback, and information (manuscript drafts, posters or talk feedback, etc.).
- I will model professional and respectful interactions and scholarly peer review in a safe space.
- I am committed to your success in the lab and beyond by accommodating degree/program/etc requirements (TA, coursework, comprehensive exams), and supporting opportunities for serving as a mentor, professional growth, and visibility.
- I will help you develop a project that is exciting, impactful, feasible and has achievable deadlines. We will strive to find the right balance, and we realize that our plan is dynamic and will change.
My expectations of you as a mentee:
- Be the principal driver of your own success by growing and developing expertise.
- Consistently prioritize integrity and honesty by performing careful, precise work. Keep a detailed, organized, accurate lab notebook.
- Manage time effectively and be considerate of other lab members’ time.
- Strive to communicate clearly in one-on-one interactions, group meetings, writing papers, etc.
- Be responsive to advisor requests for feedback or information.
- Engage with peers to stimulate a productive and innovative research environment.
- Actively participate in regular group meetings by giving (and receiving) constructive criticism of actions/ideas, not people.
- Keep me informed of hurdles, concerns, attendance, or issues that impact performance. Be familiar with and follow applicable policies and requirements specific to your title.
- Be proactive about future plans and setting goals: meeting deadlines, scheduling time off, going to a conference, submitting a manuscript, etc.
- Identify and implement strategies that advance projects forward.