Rackham Graduate School Rackham’ Mission is to partner with Programs to: - help graduate programs recruit and admit the best students to Michigan - help students succeed in their academic careers and professional development. - foster development of new disciplinary and interdisciplinary scholarship and research at the University of Michigan.

Dean’s Strategic Fund  Cost-sharing and “emergency” financial aid Rackham Faculty Research Grants Research Partnership Program – Sp/Su Research Grant ($4000) Rackham Graduate Student Research Grants –Master's students are eligible for an award up to $1,500 –Pre-candidates are eligible for an award up to $1,500 –Candidates are eligible for an award up to $3,000 International Research Awards (up to $7500) Rackham Conference Travel Grants –Up to $600 for the continental US –Up to $850 for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe –Up to $1,100 for Africa, Asia, South America, and Australia Many fellowships; e.g., Rackham Merit Fellowship program Rackham Graduate School

(Part I)

Rackham Graduate School (~ RMF)

Rackham Graduate School Mentoring resources available to faculty members

What is MENTORING??? - taking an interest in developing another person’s career and well-being - might also be a professional “advisor”, but a mentor is a personal as well as a professional relationship; everyone benefits from having multiple mentors with diverse backgrounds, ages, and talents - advancing the person’s scholastic and professional goals in directions most desired by the individual -tailoring mentoring styles and content to individuals, including adjustments due to differences in culture, ethnicity, gender, and disabilities “Advisor, Teacher, Role Model, Friend” - on being a mentor to studnents in science and engineering (1997) National Academies of Science

Attract good students/trainees - word gets around; the best mentors are usually the most sought-after Amplify your own success - if a student/postdoc is working with you on research and scholarship, good working relationships tend to be more productive. Develop your professional network - students and other trainees who you mentor will be your future colleagues, and could greatly extend your personal and professional network Satisfaction - seeing your students and postdocs succeed can be its own reward; results of good mentoring live on after you Why be a great mentor?

Quotes from students in PhD Program Reviews: - “… doesn't make me feel like I am below him in any sense even though he is technically my boss … he is very intelligent and creative. I feel that I learn a lot every day, even if it is not about the specific project I am working on.” - “My mentors provide me with guidance and also allow me to make my own decisions. I also value that my mentors see me as a whole person. “ - “I value my mentor’s dedication and enthusiasm about science. Also her openness to discuss and aid in the development of my projects. She was able to establish clear project goals, in the beginning of my PhD, that reflected my preferences and listened to my ideas.” - “He expects a lot from me, and that drives me to work harder. I guess it's nice to know that he doesn't always need to talk about science, and that he is always there for his students.”

Why be a great mentor? Quotes from students in PhD Program Reviews: - “I would like to be more confident with my mentors. I'm much better saying my piece in anonymous surveys. Also, I would like to have a mentor with whom I can speak honestly and candidly about my career goals and options, without worry of judgment.” - “The biggest thing that I would like to see changed is the amount of time and attention my mentor has to devote to me.” - “Mutual respect. It is nice to have a dialog about research where we both contribute as compared to being lectured.” - “More enthusiasm about trying to help me find a career outside academia, even though he doesn't have a lot of knowledge non-academic paths. He could help me explore my options.” - “I wish he would understand how much he expects from us and how hard we work to achieve the high standards he sets. “

Listen patiently - give the student/postdoc time and encouragement to open up Build a relationship - create opportunities for the person to speak to you - they might not want to bother you (the “open door”) Nurture self-sufficiency - it is often tempting to dictate paths, or even try to “clone” yourself; the person in front of you has different strengths and aspirations Provide information, professional background, and “wisdom” - you might think things are obvious to students that aren’t. Share what you’ve learned. Be constructive - Almost any form of instruction or criticism can be delivered in a positive way. Doing so lowers barriers to absorbing and processing the information. Enthusiasm, optimism, and “inspiration” Tips for new mentors Adapted from A. Lee, C. Dennis, and P. Campbell (2007) Nature’s guide for mentors. Nature 447:

Sample reference material: Adviser, Teacher, Role Model, Friend on Being a Mentor to Students in Science and Engineering, from the National Academies Press (read online or buy book: Lee, A., Dennis, C. & Campbell, P. Nature’s guide for mentors. Nature 447, (14 June 2007); Training Scientists to Make the Right Moves: A Practical Guide to Developing Programs in Scientific Management, Mentoring resources:

And from Rackham: