On this page: News I Upcoming Events from CIMER I External Mentoring Events of Interest
News
Checkout the recent publications from CIMER & collaborators below!
Publication Alert
Download and read the commentary by our colleagues from Colorado University-Anschutz in Academic Medicine: Sustaining the Biomedical Research Workforce: Medical School Leadership in Supporting Research Learners 
(June 2025)
Tools for coordinating measurement use in science education and training
(May 2025)
The article highlights the importance of developing a shared understanding of evaluation design and measurement use toward fostering interdisciplinary collaboration in improving education and training interventions.
National dissemination of an online research mentor training intervention: Evidence of an asynchronous model to promote learning outcomes and behavior change.
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This article reports on the usage and impact of the University of Minnesota Clinical and Translational Science Institute’s online mentor training module, Optimizing the Practice of Mentoring (OPM).
Measuring the Interpersonal Component of the Mentoring Relationship: The Mentorship Working Alliance Scale-Mentee Version.
(April 2025)
This study introduces a new instrument, the mentorship working alliance (MWA) – mentee version, and presents initial evidence supporting its validity in evaluating the interpersonal elements of mentoring relationships.
Getting Started With Culture Change in Science: Lessons in Retooling.
(March 2025)
Rooted in the intuitive, theoretically grounded view of culture as a tool kit that people use to solve various problems, the authors offer examples of cultural change work emerging from the National Science Foundation-funded Inclusive Graduate Education Network.
Scaling evidence-based interventions: Examining factors promoting and limiting the dissemination of research mentor training.
(February 2025)
The article reports on individual and institutional factors promoting and limiting mentor training implementation efforts of trained facilitators.
Publication Alert
“A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Intervention to Increase Cultural Diversity Awareness of Research Mentors of Undergraduate Students”
This article sheds light on the significance of providing mentors with training in cultural awareness and sensitivity to enhance the mentoring experience for young scientists. By fostering an inclusive and supportive environment, this research offers valuable insights into empowering the next generation of scientists. Read the full article on Science.org to uncover the compelling findings and implications for scientific mentorship.
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Podcast: Thriving or Burn Out in Mentoring, Pastoring, Service & Vocation – Part 1 w/ Christine Pfund
Listen to CIMER’s Dr. Christine Pfund on Nii Addy’s latest podcast episode on thriving or burnout in mentoring and more. You can listen or watch on @AddyHour on Youtube or at AddyHour.com .
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CIMER Leader Helps Organize, Present National Mentoring Workshop for Research Universities, Funders, Associations
(Jan. 23, 2023)
F2F and Synchronous Online Mentor Training Outcomes
Read the article published on September 16, 2022, in CBE – Life Sciences Education . This article investigates if training modality affects mentor training outcome.
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Enhancing Research Mentors’ Cultural Awareness in STEM: A Mentor Training Intervention
.Don’t Let Mentoring Burn You Out
Mentoring is undoubtedly a high-impact and high-stakes relationship. Mentors give their time, attention, and resources to develop others. Usually a volunteer activity, mentorship goes above and beyond a person’s formal job requirements. When a mentor is well-intended but too depleted to deliver essential mentor functions as a consequence of burnout, the result is marginal mentoring: dysfunctional or disengaged mentoring that is no longer of value. Read the article .
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Evaluation of a Culturally Responsive Mentorship Education Program for the Advisers of Howard Hughes Medical Institute Gilliam Program Graduate Students
CBE—Life Sciences Education Vol. 21, No. 3 Read the article .
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New Curriculum!
Mentor Training for Research Development Professionals available now on MyCIMER.
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Upcoming Trainings Offered By CIMER For Individuals
Culturally Aware Mentoring (CAM) Online with CIMER
Workshops are three 3-hour sessions over three weeks. Attendance at all three sessions is expected. Culturally Aware Mentoring workshops are advanced trainings intended for mentors who have already completed core mentorship education and reflected on their practice.
Current and upcoming trainings:
- June 04, 11, 18, 2025: 1:00 – 4:00 PM CST online. Registration is first come first served. View/pay and register for any open spots (or add yourself to the waitlist) here.
- October 9, 16, 23, 2025: 1:00 – 4:00 PM CST online. Apply of for the training by completing a short google form here
Sign up on the interest form to be notified of future CAM workshops.
Culturally Aware Mentoring Facilitator Training (CAMFT)
Facilitating Culturally Aware Mentoring is a “train-the-trainer” workshop designed to prepare participants to lead the in-person Culturally Aware Mentoring (CAM) workshop at their own institutions. Participants must have previously completed the CAM workshop to be eligible. In the 2-day workshop, participants will increase their knowledge and skills related to culturally responsive facilitation approaches, gain understanding about the underlying principles of the CAM workshop, assess their own readiness as co-facilitators, and create an implementation plan.
This facilitator training workshop is currently offered once annually in the spring; applicants must apply with at least one other person who can be their co-facilitator when implementing CAM
Sign up on the interest form to be notified of future CAM FT workshops.
Entering Mentoring Facilitator Training (EMFT)
Facilitating Entering Mentoring training is a “train-the-trainer” workshop designed to increase the capacity for research mentor trainings offered at colleges and universities, research institutes, and governmental organizations. Participants engage with the Entering Mentoring Curriculum in an abbreviated format, learn how to facilitate Entering Mentoring, prepare and facilitate an assigned activity and plan their first mentor training workshop.
CIMER offers public trainings for individuals (1-3 individuals from the same institution) and trainings for teams of 3-5 individuals from the same institution.
Registration is *$2,700 per registrant for individual and *$3,000 for team facilitator trainings per individual and includes a one-hour post workshop implementation consultation.
Cancellations must be made 21 days prior to the workshop.
*Prices are subject to change and good through current fiscal year only. The most up-to-date pricing is noted in each recruitment email. See pricing page for current prices.
Current and upcoming trainings:
View, and pay for any open spots by following the link below, or add yourself to the waitlist if the workshop is full.
- May 22-23-2025, in person at UW Madison. Click here
- June 23-24, 2025, in person at UW Madison. Click here.
- August 14-15, 2025, in person at UW Madison (teams of 3-5 individuals per team). Click here to apply with your team.
- October 23-24, 2025 In person at UW Madison. Click here to register/pay for an open spot, or sign up for the waitlist if full.
- November online (6 sessions, not yet recruiting)
Sign up on the interest form 
to be notified of future EM-FT workshops.
Research Curriculum Development Institute (RCDI)
Research Curriculum Development Institute is a workshop for undergraduate and graduate research training program directors in STEMM. This workshop is offered by the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) and the Wisconsin Institute for Science Education and Community Engagement (WISCIENCE). Workshop participants develop a custom curriculum for their research trainees, a plan to assess research trainee learning, and skills to facilitate Entering Research activities.
Registration is *$2,500 per registrant for individual. Cancellations must be made 21 days prior to the workshop.
*Prices are subject to change and good through current fiscal year only. The most up-to-date pricing is noted in each recruitment email.
Current and upcoming trainings:
- January 6-10, 2025 online (register here and see the schedule)
- June 12-13, 2025, in person at UW Madison. Register here.
Sign up on the interest form to be notified of future RCDI workshops.
External Mentoring Events of Interest
The Mentoring Institute (University of New Mexico) takes place over five days, from Oct. 21 – 25, 2024, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The organization aims to support the development and enhancement of mentoring programs and convene a local, state, national and international group of colleagues to discuss evidence-based practices and research.
SACNAS: Advancing Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) is a yearly, multidisciplinary event that aims to support individuals in their research and professional development and provide a space to celebrate multicultural traditions. The next conference takes place from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, 2024, in Phoenix, Arizona.
The Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS) 2024 meeting will be held from Nov. 13-16, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This conference welcomes undergraduate students, graduate students, postdocs, administrators and faculty who are committed to encouraging students who are minorities, first-generation, veterans, and/or disabled to continue to higher-education in STEM fields.
Understanding Interventions (UI) will now be held Feb. 7-8, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. Understanding Interventions was established to facilitate dissemination and exchange of hypothesis-based research on interventions and initiatives that broaden participation in science and engineering research careers. The conference is designed to create a dialogue among behavioral/social science and education researchers, evaluators, and faculty in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields who participate in intervention programs.