Boston University Department of Biology

Faculty Mentors

All junior faculty are paired with senior faculty mentors who can provide guidance and advice. Departmental guidelines are as follows:

Responsibilities and Suggestions for Mentors

• Be available for assistance in a timely manner
• Provide constructive feedback
• Answer questions and provide advice related to:
  • time management and setting prioritie
  • structure and culture of department
  • management of laboratory personnel issues
  • negotiating the grant review process at relevant agencies
  • when/how to appropriately contact journal editors to facilitate publication
  • professional advancement
  • expectations of the department and university to successfully achieve tenure; help in developing a course of action to achieve these goals
• Provide support and feedback for teaching
  • Attend course lectures annually, and provide constructive pointers
  • Write letter to department chair annually summarizing mentee’s teaching
• Provide grant and manuscript advice (read manuscript and grant proposal drafts)
• Positively advance mentee’s career
  • If possible, especially if in the same field, suggest/arrange venues for speaking engagements (conferences, specific academic institutions)
  • When appropriate, nominate for awards
• Annual meeting with mentee to evaluate progress

Responsibilities and Suggestions for Mentees

• Ask for help when it’s needed
• Don’t rely solely on your formal mentor (BU has lots of resources and helpful people with different expertise)
• Seek feedback on personnel management
• Prepare grant proposals with sufficient time to permit incorporation of constructive criticism from others
• Seize opportunities to establish positive contacts with significant players in your field, and with grant agency personnel and journal editors
• Take responsibility for career advancement and obtaining necessary feedback for understanding expectations
• Ask mentor to go to lunch once per semester