Information for IMSD at UTSA Research Mentors

Mentor applications were assessed by the Advisory Committee and submitted to NIGMS.

Expectations for Faculty Mentors

• Mentors and the IMSD program partnered to provide support and guidance for the IMSD trainees.
• In their application, research mentors promised that their trainee interactions would fulfill the following critical needs:
  • Safe and supportive environment.
  • Training in field-specific experimental design, data analysis.
  • Promote a work environment free from physical hazards.
  • Guide the trainees' career development.
  • Promote degree completion and workplace transition.
• Mentors will develop a Mentoring Compact with their trainee.
• Mentors will complete the IMSD-sponsored Training in Mentoring.
• Mentors must complete and document with Michelle Stevenson that they are completing Experimental Design and Rigor Training with their IMSD at UTSA (and MARC and any NIH-funded) students.
  (for compliance oversight)

IMSD Sponsored Training in Mentoring

All IMSD at UTSA Faculty Mentors completed the IMSD-sponsored Training in Mentoring, instructed by Dr. Johnelle Sparks. The training was introduced in the Mentor Information Meeting video. The training was held annually and represented the highest and best-practices in mentoring and can be used to support promotion and grant submission. Faculty who completed the Becoming a Mentor @ UTSA series were exempt from this requirement.

Training in Rigor and Reproducibility

Faculty training NIH-funded students must provide and report training that they carry out in topics related to experimental design and rigor. Example materials on critical topics, prepared by Dr. Michelle Stevenson, were included. On a bimonthly basis, faculty reported the training that they carried out to Dr. Stevenson.

Mentoring Materials

IMSD at UTSA mentors developed a mentoring compact that laid out expectations for how both will behave.

Examples

• Biology Research: Mentor Training Seminar (in IMSD Mentors site in Teams)
• Mentor Training for Biomedical Researchers (in IMSD Mentors site in Teams)

Other Resources

• Program Announcement for the IMSD Program
• Training in Methods for Enhancing Reproducibility