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JPL Mentors | Co-Mentors
| Mentoring
Tips | Partnership
Statement
Who May Serve as an SFP Co-Mentor?
Mentors often assign another member of the laboratory group to provide day-to-day
supervision of their undergraduate research students. Co-mentors may be senior
graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, technical staff, or other colleagues.
The Role of an SFP Co-Mentor
While Faculty and JPL Mentors have overall professional and financial
responsibility for the SFP students in the laboratory, they may assign the
role of co-mentor to others. The role of the co-mentor will vary from laboratory
to laboratory, and co-mentors should consult with their advisors to determine
the degree of responsibility they will have for a student. Some co-mentors
will be given full responsibility and authority for supervising a student;
others will provide limited oversight or guidance.
The primary role of the mentor/co-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/co-mentor has also to be a teacher and
a coach as well as a partner.
The primary responsibilities of the mentor/co-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:
- Before the student arrives, consult with him/her on the
planning of the project and review a draft of the student's project plan.
Note that the 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.
- Mentor/co-mentor must be aware of the date of arrival of
the student and make relevant preparations, including providing a place
for the student to sit, a computer, and a telephone.
- During the first week after the student’s arrival,
the student will be required to attend a Safety Orientation Meeting. Following
the meeting, the mentor/co-mentor or laboratory safety officer must review
with the student the Workplace Specific Safety Orientation Checklist for
SFP students and, with the student, sign the form. The student
must return the signed form to the Student-Faculty Programs Office.
- During the summer, the mentor and/or co-mentor oversees
the student's work on the project and consults at regular and appropriate
intervals.
- Sign the progress reports and abstract which
the student must submit. 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 4th Friday
in September. Mentors will receive a prompt from the SFP Online system
to approve the paper online. November 1 is the deadline for approved
final reports.
- 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,
normally given during the 3rd week in August or on the 3rd Saturday in
October. An oral report is a requirement for all the students in SFP-sponsored
programs.
- Mentors/co-mentors are invited to introduce the student
at the oral presentation. We encourage lab groups to attend the presentation
to support and encourage the student!
- Contact the Student-Faculty Programs Office [Email us at sfp@caltech.edu or
call 626.395.2885] if administrative problems arise.
SFP Compensation
Students are paid $500/week by the program with which they are affiliated.
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 by
the 4th Friday of September.
Co-Mentor Training and Support
Co-mentor workshops are held each June to provide training and support
for co-mentors and those mentoring students for the first time. The workshops
are given by experienced mentors and co-mentors who will give advice and
tips from their experience and observations. It is a good opportunity for
co-mentors to ask questions and get information and resources.
A listserv has been established to allow mentors and co-mentors to ask questions
or get information throughout the summer. Send email to lifeguard@caltech.edu and
a member of the Co-Mentor Advisory Council will respond.
For tips on mentoring, click here.
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