“The structure, topics, and flow were all so thoughtfully designed — from the discussion on fostering research productivity to the deep dive into research independence. It was an engaging, insightful, and genuinely useful session for both mentors and mentees… In fact, we are already implementing two of the action items that we discussed at the workshop!”
Join the Experience of Mentor & Mentee Conversations
CEILS invites you to engage in collaborative spaces designed for faculty mentors and graduate student or postdoctoral mentees to strengthen their mentoring relationships and co-create actionable plans through engaging case studies and activities on various mentoring topics. Learn more about the topics below. The topics, case studies, and activities are adapted from the nationally recognized and peer-reviewed curriculum from the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research. Email Dr. JoAnn S. Roberts (jsroberts@ceils.edu) if you have questions about these opportunities or fill out the interest form and a CEILS team member will contact you
Aligning Expectations
Explore strategies for fostering open dialogue, clarifying roles, and setting shared goals that strengthen the mentoring relationship. Whether you’re a faculty mentor or a student researcher, this session will help you build mutual understanding and create a foundation for effective, supportive, and productive research partnerships.
Effective Communication & Feedback
Discover practical communication and feedback frameworks designed to strengthen dialogue, enhance clarity, and build lasting trust within your mentoring relationships. Through interactive discussion and activities, you’ll collaboratively construct or refine your team’s approach to communication and bidirectional feedback for a more effective and transparent mentoring environment.
Fostering Research Productivity
Dive into essential topics that empower mentors and mentees to enhance communication and support in time management, prioritization, organization, and work-life integration. Equip your laboratory team with skills that support research productivity in manageable ways.
Fostering Research Independence
Consider the core elements, benefits, and challenges of research independence, and how it evolves throughout the mentoring relationship. Explore strategies for mentors and mentee pairs to share and plan their path to research independence.
Coming Soon: Speaking Across Conflict
This session provides mentors and mentees with replicable tools and exercises to foster constructive dialogue and build capacity for navigating differences. Practice these strategies together to foster open, respectful dialogue, enhance understanding, and build strong, collaborative relationships that support research and professional growth in your mentoring teams.