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Mentoring Workshop Schedule

Timeline	Activity	Leader(s)
10:00am-11:00am	Workshop Overview	Kelly Jordan-Sciutto
11:00am-12:00pm	Breakout groups - Case Studies	BGSA & Student Volunteers
11:00-11:05/10	Introductions and icebreaker
11:10-11:25	Case Study #1
11:25-11:40	Case Study #2
11:40-11:55	Case Study #3
11:55-12:00	Wrap-up

Large Group Session

Small Group Session

Key:

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Attention Student Volunteers:

Time-keepers - Please check the time and remind small groups when it’s time to move to the next case study.

11:10-11:55am; 15 minutes each

Breakout group leaders - Please make note of any questions that are not answered or addressed during the case study discussions. BGSA will collect them at the end.

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Breakout Groups:

Introductions & Case Studies

25 groups: 6 participants per group

1 facilitator

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Introductions

Introduce yourself by sharing your name and what program you’re starting in BGS.
Some ideas for icebreakers:

What are you most excited for in your program?
What’s the best advice you’ve received about starting your PhD that you could share?

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Case Studies

These case studies were chosen to initiate conversations about mentoring between students, faculty, and future thesis mentor(s).

You do not need to answer every question, these are meant to start conversation and discussion.

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Case Study 1: Finding a Mentor

Alicia is a first year student who has rotated in multiple labs. She did not take much time interviewing the PI or lab prior to her rotations, and regrets it deeply. Her first rotation mentor had multiple rotation students, but only accepts one student a year and has filled the position. Her second rotation PI let her know that she does not have the space for her to join the lab after she completed her rotation. She is still in the midst of her third rotation and is concerned that the lab has a toxic work environment since research projects are valued over the people in the lab. She suspects this because everyone works long hours in the lab and when she went to grab coffee with the fourth year graduate student in the lab, they mentioned that they felt burnt out. Alicia is concerned that she has not found an appropriate thesis lab nor PI mentor, and that she has to join her third rotation lab. She is not sure what to do since she was supposed to join her thesis lab by the June deadline.

Guiding Questions:

Should Alicia have asked about funding and open spots in the lab prior to her rotations?
Who could Alicia have contacted prior to her rotations to learn more about the work environment in the lab and the mentors?
What are some important things to consider when looking for a thesis lab? How can you prioritize these items when meeting with potential rotation PIs and labs?
What are Alicia’s options now?
Who can she contact to discuss her options?

Guiding Questions and somes ideas for answers:

Should Alicia have asked about funding and open spots in the lab prior to her rotations? Yes! This is a very important question to ask. Although you are financially supported by your program for the first two years of graduate school in BGS, the following years are financially supported by your PI’s budget. You should be able to ask about what funding the PI has for you short-term (ex: K99/R00, start up funds, society grants) and long term (ex: R01) to support your stipend and PhD training.
Who could Alicia have contacted prior to her rotations to learn more about the work environment in the lab and the mentors? Anyone in the lab, such as postdoc, grad students, other individuals who have graduated or left already.
What are some important things to consider when looking for a thesis lab? How can you prioritize these items when meeting with potential rotation PIs and labs? “What are the most important things to you? Where can you thrive?” Consider the environment, funding, lab size, mentoring style, lab techniques used, research project, openness to alternative career paths to find the best fit for you.
What are Alicia’s options now?

Alicia can do a fourth rotation, so she has the opportunity to make a decision between 2-3 labs and not just one to ensure she is joining the lab she can thrive in during her graduate studies.

Who can she contact to discuss her options? Other advisors, faculty, grad students: upperclassmen, chair of the program, etc.

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Case Study 2: Mentoring Philosophy and Plan

Prior to joining your thesis lab you meet with one of your rotation PIs to discuss joining their lab. You have already discussed funding and space in the lab, and they are open to having you join. After your meeting you talk with one of your peers about how well your meeting went, and they ask if you talked about the PI’s mentoring philosophy and plan. You have no idea what your friend is talking about. You haven’t even figured out what mentoring style best suits you, or if your rotation PI has a mentoring plan or if that mentoring plan would work well for you.

Guiding Questions:

What is a Mentoring Philosophy and Plan? When should you discuss this with a PI? Was this an appropriate time to discuss this?
Should a Mentoring Plan be adapted to each graduate student? If so, how can you help your advisor figure out what mentoring style works best for you?
Would your Individual Development Plan (IDP) be a good place to start developing a mentoring plan with your PI? If not, what else could you try or use?
Will your PI’s mentoring philosophy change throughout your training? Will your mentoring plan change throughout your training?
What are the different types of mentoring styles? Which one works best for you? If you do not know, how can you figure this out?

Guiding Questions and somes ideas for answers:

What is a Mentoring Philosophy and Plan? When should you discuss this with a PI? Was this an appropriate time to discuss this?

A mentoring philosophy and plan is similar to a mentoring statement. This is an intention to explain how mentors will approach mentoring relationships to guide their mentees’ development into a professional scientist. This should be discussed during your rotations, or shortly after you join the lab to align expectations. This was a great time to discuss this.

Should a Mentoring Plan be adapted to each graduate student? If so, how can you help your advisor figure out what mentoring style works best for you? Yes, communication is key, especially in letting your mentor know what is working for you and what isn’t. Trying out different mentoring styles early on can be very beneficial for mentors and mentees, especially for newer PIs to also professionally develop.
Would your Individual Development Plan (IDP) be a good place to start developing a mentoring plan with your PI? If not, what else could you try or use?

This could be a good place to start, especially for long-term planning and to discuss future career intentions. Also, an “Aligning Expectations Questionnaire” will be sent out after this session.

Will your PI’s mentoring philosophy change throughout your training? Will your mentoring plan change throughout your training?

With more experience, their philosophy is most likely to change. However, this is more common for newer PIs than more established PIs. Your mentor’s plan for you should change throughout your training to match your needs and future career.

What are the different types of mentoring styles? Which one works best for you? If you do not know, how can you figure this out?

Some classify mentoring as either hands-on or hands-off. This is often overly simplistic, and not a good indicator of a mentor’s involvement in your lab work or intellectual work.

For example, your PI could be hands-off in lab but hands-on with intellectual development of your project.

A better way to understand mentoring style for thesis mentors is a Consultant, Counselor, or Cheerleader. A great mentor adopts each of these styles at different points and milestones of your graduate education to adapt to your needs, support your professional growth, and celebrate your success.

Consultant - Provide specialized recommendations based on their knowledge, share insight with mentees to save them time, resources, and overcome problems to allow their mentees to focus on bigger questions associated with their project. These mentors would be considered “hands-on” and heavily involved in the project.
Counselor - A mentor that listens and guides, but also allows for trainees to make mistakes and learn for themselves by finding the answer to their own questions. These mentors often are considered “hands-off” but offer important guidance in times of obvious need.
Cheerleader - A mentor that provides constructive feedback and support.

One of the best ways to figure this out is during your interview of the rotation PI before you decide to rotate, asking their lab what they think their PI’s mentorship style is, and figure it out for yourself during your rotations.

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Case Study 3: Effective Communication

When you meet with your PI, they often talk quickly and you miss components of a newly developing project that are important for you to understand as you start to think independently about your project. Your PI has to frequently repeat themselves throughout the meeting and at subsequent meetings, and because of this, they begin to get frustrated with you and you become irritable. After emailing your PI multiple times without a response, you realize that they have been using Slack with the rest of the lab, but they did not add you to the Slack channel. Your PI mentions that the other lab members have the study protocols in their virtual lab notebooks, but you have not been able to find any of them online. Instead, you have to ask the lab members directly to see their lab notebook protocols. This is not what the PI expects of them in the lab based on your previous discussions.

Guiding Questions:

What can you do to make sure you are assessing your own understanding of what is happening in these meetings?
What resources can you ask your PI to provide to you to learn and understand this information that is pertinent to your project that they are speaking about during your meetings?
When should you discuss communication preferences with your PI?
How can you improve communication with your PI?
Whose responsibility is it to ensure there is effective communication in the lab?

Guiding Questions and somes ideas for answers:

What can you do to make sure you are assessing your own understanding of what is happening in these meetings? Take notes during the meeting/record. Communicate more your concerns with the PI and ask a lot of questions.
What resources can you ask your PI to provide to you to learn and understand this information that is pertinent to your project that they are speaking about during your meetings? Papers, perhaps set up meetings with each member of the lab whenever they have time to get a better understanding etc.
When should you discuss communication preferences with your PI? Easier to do in the very beginning during the first initial meetings
How can you improve communication with your PI? Ask about their preferences/method of communication and lay out both your expectations earlier on.
Whose responsibility is it to ensure there is effective communication in the lab? Everyone’s (including yours), the PI’s; everybody in the lab

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Thank you, Student Volunteers!

Adriana Santiago-Ruiz	BMB	3rd year	adriana.santiago-ruiz@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Maria F. Carrera Rodriguez	CAMB/G&E	3rd year	mariafcr@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Sarah Hegarty	GGEB	2nd year	Hegarty@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Kuldeep Yadav	GGEB	3rd year	kyadav@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Andrew Marques	MVP	2nd year	amarques@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Sarah Gardner	BMB	3rd year	sgardne@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Laura Pinheiro	BMB	3rd year	laurapin@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Charlie Bond	CAMB/CPM	3rd year	bondcr@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Julia Ferrante	PGG	2nd year	jrferran@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Gaby Rice	CAMB/DSRB	4th year	gabriella.rice@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Marisa Egan	CAMB/MVP	4th year	Marisa.Egan@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Kyla Mace	PGG	3rd year	kmace@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Stefan Peterson	CAMB/MVP	3rd year	stefan22@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Janice Reynaga	BMB	4th year	janice.reynaga@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Zoey Miller	PGG	2nd year	zoeym@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Elizabeth Burton	CAMB/G&E	4th year	Elizabeth.Burton2@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Eliana von Krusenstiern	PGG	2nd year	elianav@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Zarin Tabassum	BMB	2nd year	ztabassu@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Erin Purvis	NGG	4th year	epurvis@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Jeremy Rubin	GGEB	2nd year	rubinj@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Jean Etersque	BMB	4th year	jean.etersque@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Jailynn Harke	CAMB/GE	5th year	jailynn@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Matt Tracey	BMB	3rd year	traceyma@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Ariel Hippen	GCB	4th year	arielaha@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Brandon Anderson	PGG	4th year	brandon.anderson@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Patty Colosi	CAMB/CPM	3rd year	pcolosi@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Robin Bailey	CAMB/GTV	2nd year	rojoba@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

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Helpful Tools and Resources for Better Mentoring

(Will be sent out in follow-up email.

Please see the following slides in your own time.)

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What requirements do I have to fulfill in 1st year?

How do I let my mentor know how much time I will be able to contribute to my rotation project?

How much time will I need for classes? How do I make sure to have work-life balance?

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General Overview of 1st Year

General Overview of PhD Program

1st Year

Required Courses
Rotation Research

Rotation Presentations

1st Year Peer Mentoring Programs
NSF Grant (October)

2nd Year

T32 Grant (June)
Elective Classes
Pre-dissertation Research
Peer Mentoring cont.
Preliminary Exams
F31 Grant (Aug)

Rotation 1 (~25h)

3rd Year

Thesis Committee Selection
Dissertation Research
Presentations:

Retreat(s)
Symposiums
Research in Progress Talks

Pre-Dissertation Work (40h)

Required Classes (~15h)

spring semester

Rotation 2 (~25h)

Rotation 3 (~25h)

fall semester

summer

Required Classes (~15h)

4+ Year

Thesis Committee Meetings
Dissertation Research
Presentations:

Retreat(s)
Symposiums
Research in Progress Talks

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How can I become a better communicator and find the right lab for me?

Effective Communication Styles Worksheet

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Enhancing Communications

Form: Effective_Communication_Styles_Inventory.pdf

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Enhancing Communications

Likely validating (what you already know)
May vary under different circumstances

Home
Work

Meant to raise awareness of your “go-to” style
Provides language to help discuss challenges

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How can I align expectations with my

future PI?

Alignment Phase Checklist/Questionnaire
Mentoring Compacts

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Alignment Phase Checklist/

Questionnaire

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Finding Your Ideal Mentor for Graduate Studies: Questions to Ask Yourself

Do their research interests align with my own?

Leave room for you to explore new interesting areas you may not have considered.
Will they give you the freedom to find a project you like?

What is their mentorship style?

What do you need? Would it be ideal for you to have someone more hands-off or someone who will be working right next to you (PI or lab member)?
Where in their career are they and does that inform their mentorship style?

Ex: senior PI’s are busy often, and travel more vs. tenure track PI may have more time initially, but also has tenure track obligations

Does the lab have current students you can talk to? Are there students who rotated in their lab, but did not join that you can talk to? Talk to them!

What is the lab culture?

Do they collaborate with others in the department, in the field? Do they encourage taking courses or going to conferences? Is there evidence of work-life balance?
Do students and staff in the lab seem happy?

What is their funding status?

Don’t be afraid to ask this directly. Do they already have a lot of trainees? Will they be able to focus on you?

What is the profile of students who have graduated from their lab?

How long was their PhD? What do they do now? Are former students now in academia as well as industry? Are they open to “alternative” careers besides academia for their trainees?

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