Speed Mentoring
Speed mentoring resembles speed dating. Depending on the venue chosen, students, postdocs, or junior faculty go from mentor to mentor and offer a short document such as a CV or a topic for discussion. After a timed period, a bell sounds, mentees have two minutes to record notes and then talk with the next mentor. Afterward, participants socialize, decompress and assess. These intense interactions focus on crucial career issues, and also let people judge who may best fit them as a mentor.
If you want to host your own speed mentoring event click here for a pdf on how to mount a speed mentoring event, and what the event can accomplish, pdf (5.3 MB) . If you wish to give an eventat the Univeristy of Miami, please contact the SEEDS Program Manager for aid, help in event publicity, use of the SEEDS website RSVP function, modest funds for food, and an assessment sheet. To assure that SEEDS survives to facilitate this and other programs, please note SEEDS sponsorship in your announcements and send us photos and assessments.
REPORT: Speed Mentoring Event mixes faculty/students from all three campuses Speed Mentoring with mentors from RSMAS, Medical School, and Arts & Sciences took place on Sept 24, 12:20 - 2:15 pm in Cox 166, Coral Gables campus. Download brochure with mentor names
REPORT: Speed Mentoring Event Pairs Post-Docs With Faculty Mentors (from UM e-notes) On Friday, January 29, postdoctoral fellows from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine had the opportunity to discuss their career development with faculty during a speed mentoring event sponsored by Miller School Dean Pascal Goldschmidt, Scientists and Engineers Expanding Diversity and Success (SEEDS), the Office of Research, and the Postdoctoral Programs Office.
The postdocs, all engaged in basic or translation science research, met with faculty mentors for an intense hour-long set of eight-minute one-on-one sessions in which they discussed a topic of their choice related to their professional plans. Mary Lou King, Professor of Cell Biology and Anatomy and member of the SEEDS steering committee, hosted the mentoring event; more than twenty people participated.
Veronica Segarra and Maitreyi Das, both postdocs in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, thought that rotating between mentors in a timed format helped facilitate discussion. "I've been to many networking events with faculty members before, but this was more productive and objective," Segarra said, explaining that at speed networking you don't have to spend a lot of time "breaking the ice" but can just "get down to business." Das added that "the one-on-one interaction really helps, because you can be open and candid about what you want to ask." Postdocs consulted with faculty about their CVs, grant proposals, and presentations. Afterward, all attendees could meet each other during a social hour.
REPORT: Mentoring event, Miller School of Medicine: CV review & Academic Advancement for Women In Academic Medicine and Leadership Nov 4, 2009 Junior faculty members brought CV's and questions for one-on-one consultation with senior faculty at a home on Miami Beach. Click to see which mentees and mentors participated. Photos and Assessments will be posted soon.
Assessment of two previous Speed Mentoring events:
Two events |
#1 Mentors |
#1 |
#2 Mentors |
#2 |
| The five minute time was sufficient | 78% |
56% |
n/a |
n/a |
| The eight minute time was sufficient | n/a |
n/a |
88% |
90% |
| I received useful feedback | n/a |
100% |
n/a |
100% |
| I would recommend to colleagues | 100% |
100% |
88% |
100% |
| Noon was a good time for the event | 100% |
90% |
100% |
90% |
| I identified who might be a good mentor for me | n/a |
78% |
n/a |
88% |
REPORT: Speed Mentoring event, Miller School of Medicine. On April 3, medical school junior faculty engaged in basic or translational science met with senior faculty mentors for an intense, hour-long session divided into eight-minute one-on-one interactions, with two minutes between interactions to record notes. The event was followed by a social hour.
Comments by participants in response to questions:
Do you think this type of event is useful to faculty? Was this what you expected?
Yes, Yes. The greatest benefit is to meet with younger faculty.
Event helped to understand new faculty especially resident track faculty such as individuals in our own labs.
Somewhat, this is better than having nothing in place.
Yes. Excellent! Thanks very much!
I really enjoyed it and thought it was immensely valuable.
What is one thing you are planning to do as a result of this event?
Planning to see senior faculties in our department to help me in my research field.
Properly submit documents for consideration of promotion.
Decide which type of grant I should apply for.
Decide what I could request when getting/applying for a new job.
Manage my time better.
Get in touch with collaborators who can help write grants.
Prepare for grant application way before the deadline.
Did you see a recurring theme?
Getting a grant is the most important issue.
How to write grants.
What is important for tenure & promotion.
Criteria for Promotion.
How to forward your career with through grants, promotion & tenure, & CVs.
REPORT: Inaugural Speed Mentoring event, RSMAS.
On February 2,2009, as described in Miami Magazine, and e-Veritas, mentees brought a short document for a series of five-minute sessions with mentors. After an intense hour, the group met over lunch to cement ties and discuss their experience. Surprisingly, all reported receiving useful feedback in the five minutes. Assessment of the event is presented below the photos. Click here to see the document that RSMAS used to recruit mentees.
Schmale and Dixon mentor Brandt and Huebert
Serafy, Everett, Knapp, Drennan, Dixon, Koc, Drew, Schmale hard at work
Feedback from participants:
| Overall assessments All participants would recommend speed mentoring to their colleagues. Three quarters of the mentees and half of the mentors welcomed a speed mentoring event every semester; the rest preferred one event yearly. The majority of both groups thought that the lunch afterward was also useful. Many participants noted that they were energized: one called it feeling "zinged." |
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Recurring themes identified by mentors |
Documents reviewed |
| Other documents people thought might work short (1-2 paragraph) research statements cover letter five year plan evaluate job talks proposal summary or specific aims page |
Was this event useful to faculty? |
What would you change about this event? (one person per comment below) |
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