UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #854

Mentoring Philosophy As a Professor of Biological Science, my focus is on studying plant genetics, maize epigenomics, and genome architecture, utilizing 3D imaging, molecular genetics, and genomics. My students are engaged, therefore, in our shared research goals.
My mentoring philosophy involves treating students as though they are already in the next stage of their professional development. While the expectations are high, I make sure to acknowledge and support their efforts, training, and growth, irrespective of the outcome of their projects. By doing so, they experience the ups and downs of being a real scientist and receive meaningful guidance and skills to enhance and apply their education.
To bring this philosophy to life, I help my students produce lasting contributions from their work in the form of presentations or peer-reviewed publications. This enables them to make a tangible impact and gain recognition for their work.
After working with student scholars at FSU for over 20 years, I created the E3 principle of student mentoring - Empowerment, Excellence, and Elevation.
EMPOWERMENT: Creating opportunities for additional career growth and putting students in charge of their projects for them to learn to own and enjoy their achievements.
EXCELLENCE: Hands-on training teaches excellence in scholarship, and how adhering to high standards in data quality and management can lead to success.
ELEVATION: Providing opportunities to excel beyond the traditional student experience, embedding them in conferences, scientific discussions, and collaborations. These activities elevate their performance, confidence, and competitiveness for their future careers.