The UT Mentoring Initiative aims to improve the mentoring culture at UT to elevate, foster, and support a community that strengthens relationships through meaningful dialogue and skill development.  Effective mentorship contributes to increased productivity, a greater sense of belonging, improved recruitment/retention/graduation, and better career satisfaction. 

This semester, the initiative will deliver a series of facilitated, mentoring conversations designed to introduce effective mentoring practices that promote strong mentoring relationships in research settings, particularly between faculty mentors and both their graduate student and postdoctoral scholar mentees.  Participants will be immersed in evidence informed strategies for fostering successful relationships and research experiences.  Sessions will be led by trained facilitators with the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER). 

Participation in the full, three-part, monthly series is highly encouraged.  Space is limited; early registration is recommended.  Postdoc and grad student sessions will take place in the afternoon over lunch.  Please note this session is for postdoctoral scholars and graduate students only.  

Aligning Expectations:  March 18, 2026

Discover tools for establishing mutually beneficial expectations, clearly communicating them, and aligning expectations between mentors and mentees as well as within departments. This session will also address how expectations evolve over time.

Fostering Independence:  April 15, 2026

Examine strategies for articulating independence as it dynamically changes throughout the mentoring relationship. This session will focus on creating environments where mentees achieve their goals while mentors also meet research objectives.