Faculty Mentoring Program

INBRE is committed to the development of junior faculty by providing mentorship for research progress, manuscript and grant proposal review. To meet this objective, we have implemented the following activities for the junior faculty:

• Provide experienced faculty members with a NIH funding track record to serve as mentors, as negotiated from 2% to 5% of time (1 to 3 hours per week) as requested by the mentee-mentor
• Request that mentors identify procedures to address problems in the developing stages of the careers of junior faculty members
• Request that mentors develop a timeline with mentees for manuscript and grant proposal review and submission
• Request that mentors and mentees discuss research progress quarterly

Definition of Mentoring

A mentor is a trusted counselor or guide. In an academic setting, a mentor is generally a senior faculty member who advises or guides a junior faculty member in matters relating to achievement of academic success. In the INBRE, it is expected that the mentor will assist the mentee in creating an agenda for working toward his/her professional development goals and will provide the mentee with insights into the realities of building an academic career. As such, the mentor is an active participant in the process and does not serve merely as a role model for the mentee.

Evaluation and Reporting

The faculty mentoring program will have a uniform evaluation and reporting process. Important to this process is:

• Keeping a simple record of mentoring: timeline development and meetings-action items. Meetings will focus on issues relating to developing an academic career; research, teaching, publications, and networking
• Regular meetings between the mentor and mentee on an as needed basis, but no less than twice per year in person.

Selection of a mentor

Each junior faculty member can be assigned one or more mentors, at the rank of tenured associate professor, equivalent or above. If possible, the mentor will be a member of the mentees division and/or department, but the mentor may be chosen from among other faculty in New Mexico or outside of New Mexico if more suited on the basis of the mentee's academic program with approval by the Science Core Chair. The mentee may change mentors if he/she chooses with the Science Core Chair's approval. The mentor must have active NIH funding or have an established, successful NIH grant record.

Responsibilities of NM-INBRE

NM-INBRE will provide regular workshops/tutorials dealing with the "survival skills" critical to developing a successful research career. These include grant writing, identifying funding opportunities, getting a grant through preaward, policies on use of animals and human subjects, FDA requirements, intellectual property, ethics, compliance, etc. The mentors will identify the workshops or tutorials that will be most relevant and beneficial to the mentee.

Responsibilities of a Mentor

The mentor must:

• be accessible to the mentee and meet with him/her on a regular basis
• provide constructive feedback and advise the mentee on relevant issues related to developing a successful academic career
• review and critique the mentee's grant applications and manuscripts; interpret "pink sheets" and reviews
• assist the mentee in establishing short and long term career goals
• advise the mentee on supervision/training of students and trainees
• identify skill areas requiring improvement and suggest resources/faculty to facilitate improvement;
• maintain confidentiality
• terminate relationship if appropriate

Responsibilities of a Mentee

The mentee must:

• assume responsibility for his/her own career
• ask for and accept advice and constructive criticism
• develop a broad professional network
• maintain confidentiality
• strive for excellence in all areas of field of expertise
• terminate relationship if appropriate