Mentoring Plan

Mentoring Plan for Plant Biology Undergraduate Researchers

What are student’s career goals?
- Mentor to give guidance and options for students
What do lab head, and mentor hope to get out of student research project?
Lab head and mentor could provide their mentoring philosophies to student

Schedule of work hours
Regular meetings with direct mentor (postdoc, grad student)
Regular meetings with lab head
Lab meeting and journal club attendance
Written plan for project before it starts (short but clear)
- Focus on scientific questions, not just techniques
Diversity: cultural and educational background of student taken into account
- Collect short biography from student

Ongoing assessment at every regular meeting.
Written presentation
- To be read and graded by mentor and PI
- Research
Statement of overall experience to be collected at the end of the internship
Oral presentation e.g. lab journal club, or part of lab meeting
- Coaching before presentation
- Feedback after presentation
- Retreats and undergrad research conferences
- Plant Bio specific end-of-quarter poster session
Exit meeting
- Did student and mentor meet initial goals?
- Provide constructive criticism
- Plan for future research
- Guidance about career decisions