If you are considering presenting your research at an undergraduate research conference, you should seek an on-campus mentor in your discipline to advise you as you develop your research project. A good mentor can help you figure out what kinds of research topics might interest conference organizers, advise you on the scope of your project, help you identify relevant sources for your literature review, suggest possible funding sources for your work, and offer trouble shooting advice as you conduct your research.
In this workshop, we will discuss strategies for locating faculty who share your research interests and approaching them to discuss possible mentoring relationships. We will also talk about how to decide whether a person might make a good mentor for your particular project, as well as how to actually ask a person to become your mentor. Finally, we will discuss understanding and nurturing the mentee-mentor relationship.
Developing a good relationship with a faculty mentor will help to ensure that you have someone to turn to when you encounter challenges during your research project. Additionally, learning how to nurture a mentor-mentee relationship will be useful if you decide to complete a senior thesis in the Honors College or if you are thinking of applying for internships or graduate school.
