Fermi LAT Mentoring Program

Goals of the program

1. Creating an effective mentoring structure
2. Fostering strong and lasting relationships between mentors/mentees
3. Sharing resources and communicating advice in order to remove barriers to success, both personal and professional

Motivation

• Effective and early mentoring is crucial for student’s success and retention, in particular for students from underrepresented groups in astro/physics

• Supporting and welcoming environment for the current junior members; inviting to the new members. This, in long-run, will increase the diversity of our collaboration

• Onboarding of graduate students through research advising: no explicit mentoring expectations or training are structured into the current advising model within the LAT Collaboration

Program structure

MP will be organized and operated by a standing MP Committee (volunteer-based)

MP Committee roles: 

1. Operational (mentor/mentee selection and matching, mentor/mentee training)
2. Administrative (program overview, expansion, and interface with other DEI efforts within or out the LAT Collaboration)

Mentor/Mentee Recruitment & Matching

Mentee Recruitment:

• Whenever a new student joins the Collaboration
• Bi-annually, at each Collaboration Meeting

Mentor Recruitment:

• Bi-annually, at each Collaboration Meeting

Mentor/Mentee Recruitment & Matching

1. Matching based on questionnaire answers, weighted by mentee/mentor’s preference indicated in the questionnaire
2. Career advice; navigating the field with given identities, such as gender, race, ethnicity, etc.; outreach advice; research advice; preferred language of communication; time zones; desired frequency of meeting, etc.
3. Nominally sent out bi-annually; re-matching or joining in the midst of a mentoring cycle if expressed interest

Mentor/Mentee Expectations

• Training

1. Required on an annual basis, unless a special circumstance communicated with the MP
   Committee
2. Online/in-person options

• Time Commitment

1. Cycle lasts six months. Re-matching with a new mentor encouraged, staying in the same
   mentoring arrangement only if strong desire indicated
2. Meet at least monthly, for at least an hour

• Setting the expectations

1. During the first meeting, set mentoring goals. Guidance questions provided

• Feedback

1. Quick form at the end of each mentoring session. Feedback survey at the end of the mentoring cycle

• Confidentiality

1. Conversations must be kept confidential, unless specified otherwise by the mentee/mentor, notwithstanding disclosures required by superseding policies or laws