UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #809

Mentoring Philosophy As a researcher, I believe that team science creates a better final outcome. Mentoring provides an opportunity to co-create trusting, respectful, relationships that foster growth, development of self-determination skills, and improve the quality of research. I think it is critical to work with mentees to support them in developing skills that they value. Self-discipline and attention to detail are important when setting and meeting timelines and priorities, so working collaboratively to establish timelines and expectations, and learning why bringing your whole self to your work makes for a richer more complex experience. As a mentor, I value diversity, communication, willingness to fail forward, and an understanding of the immense responsibility and rewards that come with being entrusted to work with participants for the purpose of research. Mentees should have the opportunity to explore areas of interest, build knowledge about research, and develop a sense of pride in their accomplishments. Mentoring can provide a facilitated exploration into areas of research that mentees have had little to no experience with previously and an introduction to research topics that they may not have the opportunity to discover independently. Ultimately, co-creating knowledge is the goal of both research and mentoring, and collaboration makes our research and us all better.