Mentoring Philosophy

My goal as a mentor is to be a foundational part of your mentoring team. As someone who has benefited from and continues to benefit from excellent mentoring, I want to share my experience in hopes that you inherit all the strengths of the mentorship I have acquired during my academic career. I am committed to uplifting and mentoring the next generation of scientists, with a particular emphasis on individuals from marginalized populations. Below is the McCane lab mentoring philosophy. All lab members must read this philosophy and complete a mentoring plan.

Maintaining Effective Communication

I believe that effective communication involves identifying mentee’s individual communication preference. As part of the mentoring plan, mentees are encouraged to communicate their communication preference and discuss with the mentor any communication obstacles they may experience.
My personal preference is to document important communications in writing, so will often follow-up in person meetings with written summaries.
As a mentor, I believe in an open-door policy to ensure that I am as available to my trainees as possible.
I will have dedicated mentoring time for professional correspondences. These meetings are flexible and can be increased or decreased in frequency as the trainee becomes more independent.
Sometimes you may experience challenging days following procedures or major academic milestones. I will host debriefing meetings after these events to ensure that you have a safe space to express yourself.

Aligning Expectations & Assessing Understanding

Clear communication of both the mentee and mentor expectations is essential. At the start of our mentoring relationship, we will complete the Mentoring plan together. Plans and goals change so we will revisit and update this document annually.
The following expectations are non-negotiable and expected of all lab members:
- Be respectful of the diverse cultures and backgrounds of all lab members
- Communicate your expectations of me (see Mentoring Plan document)
- Respect my time by showing up to meetings on time
- Provide constructive feedback on written documents or presentations
- Show up for the team and be present when possible for seminars, talks and presentations
- Respect deadlines and plan ahead

Addressing Power and Privilege

I acknowledge the privilege and power I have as a mentor, however, the success of my team is my top priority.
The McCane lab believes that a diverse environment promotes diversity of thought and enriches the science we do. My goal is to foster a safe space where every individual can flourish as their authentic self.
It is expected that you will mistakes. I will make mistakes too. Mistakes by any party will not be met with punishment but rather understanding, and communication of proactive strategies that can be employed to prevent future occurrences.
I maintain an open-door policy. Please come by anytime you need to talk or meet. I am also available on Teams, via email or by text in case of emergency.
As a mentor, I will advocate for you in your presence and absence
I will sponsor you in your presence and absence
I am Committed to learning about the individual cultures (as much as you choose to share) because I acknowledge that cultural differences impact the way we see the world and the way the world sees us

Cultivating Mental Health and Disability Support

Mental health resources are visible in the lab, on Teams, and on the lab website
I will dedicate time to check in and debrief following challenging procedures and milestones
Every team member must have equal access to an education. We will work with the Office of Student Access to make sure reasonable accommodations are provided for every team member.

Promoting Professional Development

A formal mentoring plan will be completed to determine short- and long-term goals.
We will review and assess progress on these goals annually.
Plans and goals change. This is expected. We will update your mentoring plan goals annually to ensure we consistently move you towards your goals.
In addition to training in research skills, I will teach soft skills to prepare you for your individualized career paths. If I do not have the skills to help with your goals, I will work with you to find a co-mentor/mentors to ensure your success.
Life-work balance is an integral part of my science. I will provide you with tools and strategies to find balance between your personal and professional life

Fostering Independence

I will dedicate financial resources to promote your success.
I will always encourage the development of independent ideas.
As you progress towards your goals, I will increase your responsibilities and my trust in you.
As you become more independent, I will delegate more responsibilities and training to you.
I always encourage and support mentoring of other team members.
Career paths are expected to be different for different team members. I will promote and support individualized career paths.