As a mentor to students, I aim to support them in achieving their own goals and ensure they have necessary skills to rigorously conduct and evaluate research. I can provide projects for incoming students as they become acquainted with research, and help them to conduct their own research or to implement measures that interest them into an existing larger project as they progress in the program. Importantly, my approach is flexible and is adjusted based on students’ needs. Students expectedly enter the program with different levels of experience and different barriers to success. Although I look forward to having students contribute to projects that extend my own research, I aspire to further expand psychology by producing researchers with their own identities, and I am excited for my own research to further develop based upon my students’ interests.
I have clear guidelines for incoming trainees so that everyone understands the conduct that is expected for laboratory meetings (e.g., being respectful, punctual, and engaged at meetings). I create individual development plans with my students so that they can identify the skills they wish to develop in a non-evaluative manner, and together we can identify how they can attain their goals with my support. I understand that students often experience their own status dynamics with faculty and do my best to advocate for the student whenever possible. That being said, I understand that I will have unfortunate missteps and try to have opportunities for open feedback and communication so that I can continue to improve as a mentor and address my own biases. So that my students are comfortable asking me for support, I have regular individual meetings with them as well as a consistent meeting for my research team. These meetings provide an opportunity for students to present and discuss articles, and to get feedback from myself as well as others. Ideally these meetings are led by students, enable student communication and collaboration, and promote a cohesive and supportive research environment.
