"I liked getting to know other postdocs at Duke, meeting with the Meredith students and visiting their campus. And having help with my project, of course. My student was a REALLY big help.”

Postdoctoral associates and advanced graduate students at supporting research institutions in the Triangle such as Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have the opportunity to mentor undergraduate students from Meredith College in a research experience. While supporting women in the life sciences, research mentors will get invaluable mentoring, project management and leadership experience. Mentors also have the opportunity to collaborate with Meredith College faculty and learn more about positions at primarily undergraduate institutions.

Research projects should be designed in their entirety by the mentor with the full support of their faculty mentor or PI. Individual projects should be designed for undergraduate students to complete largely independently after training in specific research techniques and with regular mentoring sessions. Meredith students are expected to work on their project 10-12 hours per week for one semester (eg mid-January– April). Proposed projects should take into account students’ limited availability and prior research experience. NOTE: Mentors may spend considerably more than 10 hours per week on this program, especially early in the project!

Mentors will have the opportunity to meet with Meredith faculty in a workshop on the Meredith campus and are encouraged to be in regular contact with their assigned Meredith faculty advisors. Meredith faculty advisors will work with the mentors and Meredith students to set and evaluate student learning outcomes throughout the semester. Mentors will also be expected to participate in Meredith’s Celebrating Student Achievement (CSA) Day near the end of the spring semester by attending their students’ research presentations and a lunch with Meredith faculty.

All mentors will receive a stipend of $500, payable at the end of the semester.

Application requirements:
To be completed by the mentor applicant:

• A statement of interest describing your view on mentoring and its importance in your career (approximately ½ page). Statement should include your name, department, number of years in current doctoral or postdoctoral position, your training/mentoring experience, and what you expect to gain from the program.
• A description of the research, including techniques to be used, written in lay terms (approximately ½ page). This abstract will be used to determine the level of special training required for the participating student (i.e. radiation safety training, animal training, etc).
• A research proposal outlining the research to be performed and the importance of the expected results (1-2 pages). Please include a statement on how the proposed research will advance the undergraduate’s training experience. Please avoid jargon. The proposal will be used by Meredith faculty, who may not necessarily be in your discipline, to match students according to interests and skill level. The proposal will also be read by the matched student as an introduction to your research. 

To be completed by the PI:

• Please provide a letter of support indicating your willingness to receive a Meredith College undergraduate student in your laboratory or research group for the indicated period of time under the direct supervision of the applicant. Please also disclose your level of involvement in designing the applicant’s research proposal.

Project Timeline, Selection and Stipend for Spring 2013:

The deadline for mentor applications is Friday, November 2, 2012.  Applicants will be notified of their acceptance to the program by December 10, 2012. 

To apply at UNC:  Email application materials to Dr. Patrick Brandt, pdbrandt@email.unc.edu by November 2, 2012. If you or your advisor has questions while preparing your application, please feel free to contact Patrick Brandt. Note:  There will be an information session on the Cooperative Mentored Research Program at UNC for all interested advanced graduate students and postdocs on September 13, 2012 from 4-5pm in room 2030 Bondurant Hall. 

To apply at Duke:  Email application materials to Dr. Erin Lindquist, erinlind@meredith.edu, by November 2, 2012. If you or your advisor has questions while preparing your application, please feel free to contact Erin Lindquist.

To apply at EPA:   Email application materials to Dr. Erin Lindquist, erinlind@meredith.edu, by November 2, 2012. If you or your supervisor has questions while preparing your application, please feel free to contact Erin Lindquist.

The Spring 2013 Meredith semester begins on January 9 and ends on April 30, so research mentors should plan their research project timelines accordingly.

Participating undergraduate students will be selected based on merit by faculty at Meredith College and will be matched to research projects by their interest. Regular progress reports and a final evaluation from both the student participant and the mentor will be submitted to the Meredith faculty advisor. Undergraduate students will present at the Meredith Celebrating Student Achievement Day on April 16, 2013.

Research mentors will receive a stipend of $500, payable at the end of the semester from Meredith College. The stipends are supported by a Jessie Ball duPont Foundation competitive grant. Research supplies should be covered by the supporting lab or research group of the mentor.

For more information, contact:

Erin Lindquist, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Meredith College
3800 Hillsborough St.
Raleigh, NC 27607-5298
Email: erinlind@meredith.edu
Phone: (919)760-8754
Fax: (919)760-8761