Mentoring Programs

CIMER training is an evidence-based, interactive approach designed to help mentors develop skills for engaging in productive, culturally responsive, research mentoring relationships—relationships that optimize the success of both mentors and mentees.

Through centrally administered workshops, mentors will be able to work to hone skills in effective communication, aligning expectations, addressing equity and inclusion, and preparing mentees for increased independence in research.

The goal of mentor training is to accelerate the process of becoming an effective mentor by providing trainees with an intellectual framework, an opportunity to experiment with various methods, and a forum to solve mentoring dilemmas with the help of peers. By the end of the training, participants will have articulated their personal style and philosophy of mentoring and have a toolbox of strategies to use when faced with difficult mentor situations.

CIMER mentor training—based on the book Entering Mentoring—has been tested and shown to be effective in increasing mentoring knowledge, skills and behavior. Furthermore, culturally responsive interactions between mentors and mentees can help historically underrepresented mentees successfully progress in their research careers, becoming effective mentors, scientific leaders and research team members of the future.

In this series of hands-on, reflective activities developed by CIMER, training facilitators from the Office of Postdoctoral Scholars and Roswell Park will support your development of the skills needed to navigate the research environment and proactively manage your mentored relationships.