Graduate Mentorships
Program Description
Graduate mentorships provide an opportunity for graduate students to establish research groups and learn leadership skills in research. The program is intended to provide preparation for a job in academia. Research groups consist of a graduate student mentor, two undergraduate research fellows, and a high school student. Undergraduate fellows work intensively with the group for one summer and then continue through the school year. The high school student works periodically with the research group for the same period. He/she is mentored primarily by the undergraduate fellows. Graduate mentors choose who will join their research group.
Mentorships begin in the spring semester and extend through the following spring. Graduate applications for the program beginning spring 2008 are due November 30, 2007. Graduate mentors receive a half-time paid research assistantship with tuition waiver for the summer during which they participate. In addition, they can apply for UF-HHMI G.A.T.O.R. research and travel awards totaling $1000 ($500 for research, $500 for travel). The two undergraduate fellows who work with the graduate mentor are also qualified to apply for research and travel awards totaling $1000 each, raising the overall research budget for the team.
Benefits for Graduate Mentors
- Earn a half-time summer research assistantship with tuition waiver.
- Have two paid summer undergraduate research assistants whom you select from a large applicant pool. You can also encourage undergraduates already working with you to apply.
- Research assistants continue to work with you during the school year.
- Get prepared for a faculty job by gaining experience mentoring a research group.
- Incorporate outreach to a local high school.
- Participate in mentoring workshops with your peers.
- Attend a spring course on Communicating Complexity in Science (3 credits).
- Apply for $1000 in research and travel funding.
- Undergraduate assistants can also apply for a total of $2000 in research and travel funding.
Who can apply?
UF-HHMI G.A.T.O.R. graduate mentorships are open to all UF graduate students with biological or biochemical interests. In general PhD students in their second or later year are preferred because they typically have a well-developed project by then, and can effectively articulate how undergraduates and a highschool student will be involved in their research. Mentors are chosen by a panel of UF-HHMI G.A.T.O.R. faculty advisors. Graduate student applicants must submit a letter of support from their faculty advisor.
Graduate Mentors are Expected to:
- Recruit the undergraduate fellows and high school student who will apply to work with them. The G.A.T.O.R. Program does several recruitment activities to support graduate mentors. High school students are recruited from Newberry High School, through an established agreement between Newberry HS and G.A.T.O.R.
- Serve as the review and admissions committee for the undergraduate fellows and high school students during their first spring (prior to the summer RA). For undergraduate selection, this will entail interviewing undergraduates, reading undergraduate applications, and working as a committee to select undergraduates who are good matches for both the program and the individual graduate mentors who are participating. For high school student selection, this will entail visiting Newberry High School to give a short presentation on your research, then reading applications, interviewing students who are a good match, and selecting the student for your group. Two undergraduate fellows and one high school student will be accepted to join each graduate mentor’s research group.
- Attend the first three sessions of an 8-session workshop on “Mentoring the Next Generation” during their first spring (prior to summer RA). Sessions will last 2 hours and be scheduled conveniently for the mentors. The first three sessions cover expectations of the G.A.T.O.R. Program, undergraduate project development, setting expectations for fellows, helping fellows gain independence, and development of the mentor-fellow relationship.
- Attend sessions 4-8 of the workshop on “Mentoring the Next Generation” during the summer of their RA.
- Mentor two undergraduate fellows for the summer through spring semesters. Generally speaking, the G.A.T.O.R. Program anticipates that undergraduates will participate in research projects developed by the graduate mentor as part of his or her thesis or dissertation project. However, graduate mentors can also choose to guide their students in independent research projects. In either case, undergraduate fellows should be able to work more or less independently by the end of the summer. The G.A.T.O.R. Program encourages undergraduate fellows to finish the laboratory component of their research by December so that analysis, writing, and presentation preparation can be done in the spring.
- Oversee undergraduate mentoring of one high school student. High school students visit the host lab every two weeks during the summer to establish working relationships and to provide high school students with an overview of research done by the group. High school students participate more regularly in research activities from September through February, when their work culminates in a poster presentation at the UF Engineering and Science Fair.
- Build a working relationship with their undergraduate fellows and high school student. Mentor/mentee relationships are based on trust and mutual respect. They are derived over time from people working together towards a common goal. In the G.A.T.O.R. Program, the common goal for undergraduate fellows and mentors is a research project that the fellow will present at a national scientific meeting. Typically, a fellow's research project is related to the mentor's thesis or dissertation research and both parties should expect to generate publishable data. Fellows should rely on the guidance of their mentors, but ultimately take responsibility for their individual projects. Mentors can promote a fellow's independence by teaching critical thinking, record keeping, and ways to find information from primary resources.
- During summer and fall, attend and participate in a weekly 1.5 hour G.A.T.O.R. Discussion Group with all UF-HHMI G.A.T.O.R. Program participants.
- Write a mini-grant proposal to the G.A.T.O.R. Program for up to $500 in research funds. Proposals are accepted during the summer semester.
- Attend a course on “Communicating Complexity in Science” during the spring semester following their summer RA. This 3 credit class meets once/week for 3 hours.
- Attend the UF Engineering and Science Fair in February, where undergraduate fellows and high school students will present their research.
- Travel to the national meeting of their choice to present research with their two undergraduate fellows. Presentations can be either poster or oral presentations and all three members of the research team are encouraged to present individually. It is preferable, but not required, that meeting attendance occurs during or soon after the mentorship. Presented research should include work that was completed during the mentorship.
Overview of graduate mentor schedule
Fall
Application and letter of support from faculty advisor due November 30, 2007 (must be postmarked by this date).
Spring
Recruit undergraduates and high school student to work with you; serve on review and admissions committee during March and April; attend the first three sessions of an 8-session workshop on “Mentoring the Next Generation".
Summer
Attend mentoring workshop sessions 4-8; mentor 2 undergraduates and one high school student; attend and participate in weekly G.A.T.O.R. Discussion Group; write a mini-grant proposal to the G.A.T.O.R. Program for up to $500 in research funds. Undergraduate work commitment is 20-30 hours per week, and is flexible depending on research needs. High school students are present one afternoon every two weeks.
Fall
Mentor 2 undergraduates (undergraduate work commitment is 10 hours per week); oversee undergraduate mentoring of high school student; attend and participate in weekly G.A.T.O.R. Discussion Group.
Spring
Mentor 2 undergraduates; oversee undergraduate mentoring of high school student; attend semester long course on Communicating Complexity in Science (3 credits, meets once/week); attend UF Engineering and Science Fair in February to support your fellows and high school student; make conference travel plans if this has not been done already.
Download Application Form (PDF)
