Caltech Mentors | Co-Mentors |
JPL Mentors | Mentoring Tips | Partnership Statement
These notes are directed to JPL staff serving as mentors of students conducting
research projects at JPL who are registered through the Caltech Student-Faculty
Programs Office in SURF, MURF, Axline Scholars, USRP, Space Grant Workforce
Development, or PGGURP. Students in all of these programs have the
status of Fellows and come to JPL as Affiliates.
Who May Serve as a Mentor?
The Role and Responsibilities of the Mentor
JPL Access Requirements
Safety Training Requirements
Student Compensation
Vacation Requests
Who May Serve as a Mentor?
Any member of the JPL technical staff may serve as a mentor.
The Role and Responsibilities of the Mentor
The primary role of the mentor is to serve as the senior partner in a collaboration
with the student. It is important that the student be offered, and eventually
accept, intellectual responsibility for his/her own project, but for most students
the project will be the first research experience, so the mentor has also to
be a teacher and a coach as well as a partner.
The primary responsibilities of the mentor are to prepare for the student’s
arrival and to help the student meet all of the requirements of the program
under which the student is registered; however, there are a number of specific
responsibilities that each mentor will have in preparing for the project and
in guiding the student through it during the summer:
- Write a Project Description outlining the background, motivation, and objectives
of the project and the nature of the work the student will do; stating any
hazards to which the student may be exposed in carrying out the work and
the specialized training that must be completed before the work may begin;
providing literature references or web sites where the student will be able
to learn more about the subject; and giving contact information.
- Consult with the student on the planning of the project
and review a draft of the student's project plan. Note that the proposal or project plan
must be the student’s product; the mentor may not write it, but may
and should provide advice and guidance during its preparation.
- Make sure that the mentor’s organization is aware
of the date of arrival of the student and that preparations have been made
to provide a place for the student to sit, a computer, and a telephone.
- During the summer, oversee the student's work on the project and consult
at regular and appropriate intervals. If the mentor will be away, he or she
should designate a co-mentor or colleague to supervise the student.
- Sign the progress reports and abstract which the student must submit throughout
the summer. Mentors must authorize someone to sign the reports in their absence.
Mentors should use the progress reports as an opportunity to discuss research
progress, problems, etc. Students should use the reports to practice technical
writing skills.
- Collaborate with the student in writing the abstract and final report.
The paper must be submitted electronically by the stated program deadline,
but no later than the 4th Friday in September. Mentors will receive a prompt
from the SFP Online system to approve the paper online.
- If a student continues work on the project during the
academic year, he or she must submit an interim report by the deadline. A
final draft describing additional work or results may be submitted later
for the SFP archives.
- Help the student prepare for the oral presentation during
the week of JPL Summer Seminar Day, held during the last week of the program.
An oral report is a requirement for all the students registered through
SFP.
- Ensure that the student will have an audience for his or her talk.
- Contact the Student-Faculty Programs Office (sfp@caltech.edu or
call 626.395.2885) or the JPL Education Office (Petra.A.Kneissl-Milanian@jpl.nasa.gov or 818.354.0726).
JPL Access Requirements
Information will be posted by 5/15/2006.
Safety Training Requirements
Information will be posted by 5/15/2006.
Student Compensation
Students receive $500/week paid by the program with which the student is affiliated.
JPL mentors pay a $1,000 administrative fee to the Student-Faculty Programs
Office at Caltech. Mentors will receive instructions for transferring funds
to the SFP Office.
Vacation Requests
Students may take vacation time during the summer with the approval of the mentor;
however, students must complete all 10 weeks of the program, and Caltech students
must complete the ten weeks by the 4th Friday in September.
