About Mentoring

Mentoring relationships benefit both undergraduates and faculty, develop over time, and enable:

Commitment to scholarly development; and,
Engagement in collaborative inquiry.

Mentoring relationships also encourage:

Positive environments, which encourage questions and foster curiosity;
Consideration of new or alternative approaches;
Constructive, reciprocal feedback;

And often provide:

Guidance for the undergraduate in making important research or related career decisions;
Oversight of the undergraduate's research methods and practices;
Up-to-date knowledge of available resources and funding;
Support in sharing and publicly presenting research;

All of which supports the enjoyment of active participation in research!

Remember: the quality and character of mentoring relationships varies across discipline and academic departments. Factors that influence mentoring relationships include time, experience, individual preferences and skill sets, and the number of research participants.

When selecting a potential mentor, ask yourself:

What are my scholarly interests and career goals?
What faculty shares my interests?
What do I expect from a research mentor?
What is my preferred research environment?
What type of training do I want?
What skills do I want to develop?
Who do I enjoy working with?
How does mentoring fit into my conception of research?

To answer these questions, you might:

Check department web sites and read faculty profiles;
Visit web sites dedicated to research at UW (e.g., The Office of Research );
Drop by during a potential faculty mentor's office hours to chat about her or his research;
Read UW faculty publications; and,
Make an appointment with the URP to learn more.