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Developing a Positive Working Relationship with your Faculty Mentor
The following steps will help you develop a strong, productive relationship with your faculty research mentor.
- Initiate a conversation early in your working relationship in which
you and your faculty member agree upon expectations and working agreements:
- How frequently will you meet face-to-face?
- How closely will you work with a graduate student or postdoctoral fellow in addition to the faculty member?
- What blocks of time, hours of the day, or hours per week, consecutive weeks or quarters will you work?
- How will you be trained?
- Will you attend lab or research group meetings, and, if so, will you need to prepare something for them?
- Will you work in the lab or research area, or can you take work home to complete?
- What kind of final product will you produce?
- Be the active, responsible party in initiating and organizing one-on-one communication: set meeting agendas, prioritize issues you want to discuss, be a leader in discussions.
- Work with your faculty member to set short- and long-term goals and deadlines for the different stages of your project.
- Learn your faculty member’s communication habits. When does email suffice, when must you meet face-to-face, and when — if ever — may you call her or him at home?
- Consider sending summaries of meetings (agreements, assignments, work outlines), restating tasks and the division of labor.
- Always read books or articles your faculty member recommends to you and share your responses. Take their suggestions seriously and let them know that their time with you is well-spent.
- Be curious and share your knowledge. The more you do, the more seriously your work and aspirations will be regarded.
- Always express your thanks after the faculty member has taken the time to meet with you. Send a thank-you note or an email stating what you gained from the interaction and how you will move ahead in your plans.