Research and Training Initiatives Office (RTI)
Mentoring to Advance Postdocs and Students Program (MAPS)
The MAPS program has been developed to provide meaningful information and training opportunities to enhance the intellectual and professional development of postdoctoral researchers and senior graduate students and to improve the quality of mentoring by SOLS faculty.
A 9-month series of events and workshops have been developed, each 1.5 h in duration, with lunch (generally). The monthly “Mentoring Monday” meetings are open to new postdoctoral researchers in SOLS. Senior graduate students (third-year or later) are also be eligible and encouraged to attend. For all events postdocs and graduate students will be asked to bring their advisors.
“Mentoring Monday” – a 9-month series of events / workshops:
- Episode 1 (Aug. 31, 2009): Getting started. This episode will present a summary of the history and administrative structure of SOLS and an overview of its programs, its major research emphases, and its facilities. This will also be a chance for postdocs, grad students, and mentors to introduce themselves to each other and begin to make personal connections. Afterwards, a walking tour of major SOLS and ASU instrumentation facilities will take place (Keck and EM labs; DNA sequencing lab; Goldwater Environmental Lab, etc). This event will be hosted by the RTI Director.
- Episode 2 (Oct 5, 2009): Getting funded. This event will start with a forum on successful grantsmanship led by former (or current) NSF and NIH program officers and panelists. It will be followed by a hands-on training in searching for research funding sources via grants.gov, Community of Science, and other means.
- Episode 3 (Nov. 2, 2009): Acting responsibly. This event will involve an introduction to some of the ethical and legal issues that surround life sciences research and how these are manifested at the individual, department, and institutional level. This event will be led by Dr. Karin Ellison.
- Episode 4 (Dec. 7, 2009): Mentoring. This episode will focus on effective strategies for mentoring of students (from undergrad to postdoctoral) and is intended not only for PDs and graduate students but also their faculty mentors. This event will be led by Dr. Ron Rutowski and the SOLUR program.
- Episode 5: Writing for science. This event will focus on how to be more effective in written scientific communications, especially in preparing journal articles. The discussion will involve a panel of SOLS faculty who have served as journal editors or on journal editorial boards.
- Episode 6: Talking for science. This event will center on how to be more effective in oral scientific communications. That is, how to give a good talk that is tailored to your audience. This event will be led by a SOLS faculty member with broad experience in scientific communication, along with outside participation by a communication specialist.
- Episode 7: Communicating beyond science. Few scientists are prepared to deal effectively with non-specialists and especially with the media. Yet, this is an increasingly important part of many scientists’ lives. This event will provide an opportunity for presentation and discussion of effective communication strategies for dealing with the media and for dealing with people who deal with the media. This event will be led by Peggy Coulombe and other campus experts.
- Episode 8: Teaching. Many postdocs and grad students will soon be confronted with the task of developing new courses and preparing for a major teaching effort. This event will provide information and perspectives on new course development, syllabus preparation, innovative pedagogy, mediated and online instruction, assessment, and other relevant topics. It will feature a panel of experienced senior faculty, as well as junior faculty who are in the process of establishing their own teaching programs. Campus experts on instructional media will also participate.
- Episode 9: Finding a job. This event will focus on job search strategies, both within and beyond academia, and on the inner workings of a scientific job search. A panel of faculty and other professionals with experience in the hiring process will offer their perspectives on what to do, and what not to do.
For more information: Margaret.coulombe@asu.edu