Call For Mentors

What is a Mentor?
Why Mentor?
Responsibilities

The Biotechnology Institute invites you to apply to be a Mentor for one of the Fellows. Mentors participate in a year-long e-mentorship with the Fellows and attend the preconvention program organized by the Biotechnology Institute and the annual BIO convention.

Mentors share their professional experiences with participants and provide them with direction and information needed to succeed in the exciting field of biotechnology. During the BIO convention, mentors act as liaisons between the Fellows and leading researchers and industry leaders.

Although most of the mentoring obligations are confined to the convention, this gratifying experience continues throughout the academic year through an e-mentorship program that can develop into a lasting relationship.

 

What is a mentor?

This section is drawn in large part from the British Mentors Forum site.

Mentoring is increasingly recognized as a vital component in any business toolkit for the 21st century - but what is the role of a mentor? Ask any group of individuals and their ideas are sure to differ widely.

These definitions of mentoring reflect different yet related ideas.

"Off-line help by one person to another in making significant transitions in knowledge, work or thinking."   Clutterbuck & Megginson, 1995

"A mentor is that person who achieves a one to one developmental relationship with a learner; and one whom the learner identifies as having enabled personal growth to take place."  Bennetts,1994

In general, mentors are usually more experienced, more senior than the learner and provide support, encouragement, and guidance, rather than having the responsibility for managing the mentee. Mentors do not have to be management gurus. However, they should be interested in developing themselves and others and should be someone who is respected and can be confided in.

Why mentor?

Professionals become mentors to:

  • Build relationships with future industry participants.
  • Provide support to individuals who are not traditionally represented in the field.
  • Expand their personal horizons and assist others with doing the same.
  • Work with young people and gain a better understanding of their generation.
  • Share their own good fortune and give back to their communities.

Responsibilities of mentors

Mentors perform roles in four key categories, according to the Mentors Forum.  They:

  • Coach e.g. by showing how to carry out a task or activity;
  • Facilitate e.g. by creating opportunities for learners to use new skills;
  • Counsel e.g. by helping learners explore the consequences of potential decisions;
  • Counsel e.g. by helping learners explore the consequences of potential decisions;
  • Network e.g. by referring learners to others when the mentor's experience is insufficient.

"She or he may achieve these in a variety of ways, for example by challenging the learner's assumptions, encouraging the learner to explore new ideas and different ways of thinking, by setting development tasks for the learner, and simply by sharing a different view of the matter under discussion."

Within the context of the Fellows program, mentor responsibilities are:

  • Being accessible
  • Building rapport
  • Maintaining confidentiality (unless required by law to report)
  • Making and maintaining commitment to the Fellows program guidelines:
    • Being involved as a mentor for a minimum of one year.
    • Checking in with Institute staff to discuss challenges in the relationship
    • Responding to Institute staff requests for information needed to evaluate the program.
    • Facilitating mentee research and career-oriented planning and activity, including:
    • Assisting mentee in developing clear and realistic educational and professional goals and objectives.
    • Maintaining a positive and realistic approach to the mentee's professional and educational progress. Assessing and, as needed, assisting mentee with career-building skills, resumes, etc.
    • Providing feedback on graduate school, internship, career strategies, and job applications. Exposing the mentee to different aspects of the field. Providing tips for the mentee membership in professional groups, etc., as appropriate
    • Encouraging the mentee to make the most of the Fellows program through such activities such as attending sessions together and identifying sessions the mentee should attend to help him or her meet professional goals.