RESEARCH MENTORS

Research Mentors are integral to the WINSPIRE program. Over the course of 6 weeks, Research Mentors work with high school juniors and seniors to complete a research project in the mentor's lab.  WinSPIRE aims to support students from historically marginalized groups in STEM, or who would otherwise benefit from additional encouragement to pursue science. This is why WinSPIRE research mentors who are also from historically marginalized groups or have a similar background are so important to the program

 

WINSPIRE provides several mentorship training workshops to equip Research Mentors with the skills needed to teach, train, and support these students as they begin their STEM adventure. As a result, our previous Research Mentors excel as leaders in their labs and careers thereafter. 

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However, to accept students into the program, we need to have enough research mentor volunteers.

 

Research Mentor Teams: You may participate as a solo mentor or co-mentor with someone in your lab or department. Co-mentorship can help reduce the time and responsibilities required of each mentor; each pair may decide how they would like to split the responsibilities. 

 

If you are co-mentoring:

1. Only one application should be submitted for pre-determined co-mentor pairs.

2. Only one co-mentor is required to be present at a given time during the summer program.

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Time commitment:

Prior to program start (March-June 2023), 10-12 hours total:

• Attend workshops and mentorship trainings

  • Mandatory: WinSPIRE logistics & lesson planning workshop (1-1.5 hours) 

  • Mandatory: WinSPIRE mentorship training (2-3 hours)

  • Mandatory: SafeZone Training led by the LGBTQ Center at UNC (4 hours)

  • Panel with local teacher​s (1 hour)

• Meet with your co-mentors to plan research activities, if necessary​

Research mentors will devote ~22 hours per week during the program dates (June 20th-July 28th). This includes:

• Research time with your student: 1pm-5pm Mondays through Fridays, every week

• Lunch with your student, WinSPIRE attendees, and/or your research group on Tuesdays and Wednesdays every week​​

• Attend the final student poster session on July 28th:

  • Poster Set Up: 1:00-1:15pm

  • Poster Session: 1:15-2:15pm

  • Short Break: 2:15-2:30pm

  • Awards: 2:30-3:00pm

  • Keynote Speaker: 3:00pm-3:30pm

  • Social: 3:30-end of day

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Responsibilities: ​​

• Attend mandatory mentor trainings.

• Design an original research project for your mentee to complete within 6 weeks 

• Guide a student through each step a scientific research project, including:

  • Explaining the scientific method (i.e., from asking a question to interpreting data and communicating the findings)

  • the basics of the science behind the project 

  • the laboratory or computational techniques necessary to perform the research

• Provide a welcoming learning environment and offer advice on how to become a scientist, the college application process, etc.