Mentoring our Undergraduate Students

Our Mentoring Approach

Emphasis on fostering an inclusive and supportive environment.
Commitment to professional development and career guidance.
Clear expectations for mentor and mentee roles.
Regular communication and feedback mechanisms.
Support for mentee's research, career goals, and work-life balance.
We encourage our students to fill out Mentoring Evaluations, so we can understand how to mentor better.

Below are some guidelines to help support you in the mentoring of undergraduates:

Schedule an initial meeting the first week of the quarter with the student and discuss the following prompts:
- What does the mentor expect of the student? What does the student expect of the mentor?
- How many hours a week should the student expect to work on the project?
- What is the best way for the student to contact the mentor with questions?
- How often will the student meet with the mentor? Should the student do anything to prepare for these meetings?
- Should the student send the mentor weekly email updates on the progress of the project? What information should be included in these updates?
Create a weekly schedule for when your students(s) will be in your lab or working on your project. Make sure this meets expectations according to the number of credits the in which the student has registered (every 1 credit a student registers for, they must schedule 3 hours of project time).
If the student will be working independently for several hours during the week, designate a weekly time to check in with them to address progress, challenges, and issues.
Be clear with the student about the tasks and expectations of the project. Work with them during the first two weeks to co-create the project plan for the quarter with important milestones. This will ensure that the student is clear on what to work on and can easily assess their progress.

UW Mentoring Tools
College of the Environment IBIS Program
- The College of the Environment offers sophomore+ geoscience undergraduates and 3rd-year+ graduate students the chance to participate in the Identity, Belonging and Inquiry in Science (IBIS) Program. This evidence-based mentoring program seeks to better engage students from diverse backgrounds in independent geoscience research projects and science networking opportunities. Undergraduate students are paired 1:1 with a graduate student, based on their research interests, and develop a proposal, collect, analyze and present their results for the UW Undergraduate Research Symposium or similar local conference.
Practices of Effective Mentoring
Mentoring Tips Summarized