UCSD 2023 Integrity Champion!

I was nominated and awarded as a UCSD 2023 Integrity Champion for my work on bullying and harassment in the UC system.

Transcript:

Curiosity and creativity are integral to research. Curiosity to see the world and ask “Why is this happening?” while creativity to ask “How can we make this better”? I study the molecular  effects of acute and chronic stress. When faced with a stressor, typical maintenance functions are paused to respond to the crisis. But chronic stress is different., Wwhen there is no escape from the toxic environment, there is no recovery period, and this leads to disease. To make it better, we have to remove the stressor. This applies to people too; when people cannot safely leave a toxic environment they suffer. 

Toxic environments are created when those without power have no safe avenues to call out abuse by those with power. The academy is not immune to this problem. If graduate students and other trainees feel they must stay silent and endure or otherwise risk disrupting their path to employment, this is not a healthy ethical environment in which their curiosity and creativity can thrive.

I am not the first to recognize the systemic abuse of powers at play in academia, but I am the first graduate student in the UC System to draft and review a policy addressing bullying, harassment, and microaggressions that cannot be prosecuted under Title IX or Conduct Policies. In 2021 I started the UCSD Bullying & Harassment Advocacy Committee to develop a trauma-informed grievance process that would support students trapped in abusive environments.

I’m just a graduate student. It’s not my job to create administrative change, but I know that if I don’t do something, who will? As an academic, I have nothing to lose but my reputation. To me, it’s worth risking to defend trainees. My own thesis will be done by the time significant change is made, but addressing bullying and harassment in the academy is still worth doing. We have an obligation to each other, and to all future academics to create healthy ethical work environments in which all members can thrive.

Epistemic Justice, Ethics, and Machine Learning

I was invited to guest-lecture for Dr. LaTisha Hammond’s BILD 60 DEI in Human Biology class this year.

This presentation is based on slides I collaboratively made with another graduate student, and then significantly expanded on to incorporate more of the Equity & Inclusion focus of BILD60, as well as the undergraduate audience.

Recommended Reading:

• You look like a thing and I love you - Janelle Shane

• Weapons of Math Destruction - Cathy O’neil

• Thick and Other Essays - Tressie McMillan Cottom

Study Smart Guide

This is a duplicate of the Study Smart page linked under Advocacy. I’m reposting it to make it easier to find on this website!

TO STUDY "SMART" AND MAKE THE MOST OUT OF YOUR CRAMMING TIME I GENERALLY DO THE FOLLOWING:

This guide works for pretty much any subject, and can be adapted to your learning style. If you have a course that relies on “Chapters”, “Units”, or “Sections”, try making yourself a study guide for each one before combining them.

1. Make a list of the sections/concepts covered in class

2. Get a red pen, blue pen, and pencil.

3. Circle concepts in the appropriate color (and be honest):

  Red = "did we even cover this?"

  Blue = "I feel like I could get partial credit on these"

  Pencil = "I'm okay at this"

4. Then begin studying by going over the concepts in red. Do practice problems, write out explanations, whatever you need to get the basics down.

Most importantly: stop every 90 minutes (or so), take a deep breath, and review what you just did. Explain it to your friend/pet/water bottle, just take a minute to verbalize what's happened. This is called "chunking", and it's an educational tool to consolidate information by breaking it down into related pieces instead of powering through for rote memorization. By taking a break and reviewing, you're telling your brain "hey, this stuff goes together. These steps are linked".

5. When you've gone through the red, move on to blue. The critical difference is that you don't do the math for these. Punching numbers in your calculator is a waste of time right now. You need to know what equation to use and how. For blue problems you're going to write out the steps until the end, and then explain why you do them.

6. Pencil problems don't need paper. You know how to do these, but you just need to see more of them. Like blue problems, you're not going to do the math. Instead you're going to find your friend/pet/laundry basket, and verbally explain each solution to them. By talking and teaching these solutions you're processing the information in a new modality, making it stick in your brain. If it turns out you can't explain it, then you can find the solution and try to verbally explain what's happening.

7. Erase the concept list and make a new one. You may have discovered that you actually know more about some red concepts than you thought, or that you need to work more on a pencil-problem.

BioGrad Success Symposium: Navigating Identify and Allyship as BIPOC in STEM

2022 Biology Graduate Success Symposium

Being Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color (BIPOC) in STEM

Wednesday February 23, 2022

2:15 - 3:00 PM (PST)

Download this guide HERE

Session Leaders:

• Lennice Castro

• Hema Kopalle

Goals:

The interdisciplinary fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM) in the United States are historically racially homogenous. The goal of this session is to provide awareness of the current environment in STEM for BIPOC individuals, including challenges and brief advice. The resources provided here may be specific to UCSD’s Biological Science program.

Outline:

Goals: 1

Identifying systemic and structural biases in academia 1

Brief history of race and racial inequity at UC San Diego 2

Representation, Retention,  Retention and Action 2

Recruitment 2

Retention & Inclusion 3

Funding 3

Recommendations on how to navigate being BIPOC in Academia 4

Resources for BIPOC at UCSD 4

Identifying systemic and structural biases in academia

• When we talk about Black, Indigenous, People of Color it’s often presented as “others” and “white”. This is not the case outside the US and Western Europe, where a “Person of Color” is a person first. 

• Gentle reminder that systemic definitions of BIPOC are not disaggregated, and often obscure the marginalization of other identities and stereotypes. A good example can be found at The Washington Center for Equitable Growth.

• Recognize that “cultural capital” is defined by the dominant group: “(1) what constitutes cultural capital may vary by the racial position of the holder of cultural capital and (2) those who are dominant in the racial hierarchy contribute to determining what constitutes cultural capital for those they dominate according to their own interests” 1

While overt racism is often easy to identify, subtler systemic microaggressions can go unchecked for years. Some examples to help you recognize microaggressions:

• Repeated mispronunciation of names despite correction. This can extend into selective mispronunciation.

• Generalized statements about the quality of academia or publishing in specific countries.

• Removal of individuals from projects, publications, or presentations 

• Professors/advisers directing students to leave programs because students were not “one of them” 

• Making jokes related to race/ethnicity directly to students of color and international students

• Insinuating that grads of color are in their programs due to racial quotas rather than merit 

• Undergrad students writing racial stereotypes and commentary on the race of the TA in CAPEs/Departmental evals

Brief history of race and racial inequity at UC San Diego

UC San Diego has a history of racism and anti-Blackness that have repeatedly escalated to community-wide incidents. The GPSA has put together an 8 page document of Race on Campus that expand on these concerns.

• 2010: The 2010 “Compton Cookout” marked a turning point for UCSD Administration to address racial inequities with the establishment of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity Division, and starting conversations about “recruitment, retention, success”.

  • In response to the Compton Cookout, the Black Student Union (BSU) published a “State of Emergency” address with demands for the establishment of cultural resources centers and actions.

• 2016: In 2016 Pro-Trump messages were chalked on campus sidewalks, prompting news outlets to report on the racial climate on campus. The analysis by the Lumumba-Zapata Collective in the San Diego Free Press offers a detailed analysis of campus data on BIPOC representation and climate.

  • Note that the Undocumented Student Services office was established before these incidents.

• 2020: Ten years after the initial BSU demands, following the global protests od the murder of George Flyd, the BSU released a follow-up statement reiterating many of the same demands.

  • It is important to note that BSU explicitly rejects the use of the term “People of Color” and “Communities of Color” as it fails to disaggregate the specific experiences of Black students.

• 2021: UCSD applied to become a Hispanic Serving Institution. This requires the institution to have enrollment of undergraduate full-time equivalent students that is at least 25 percent Hispanic students at the end of the award year immediately preceding the date of application.

• 2021: The International Students and Programs Office reports that 20% of the total campus population is made of international students. Of those, 64% (12.4% of total population) are from: South Korea, Taiwan, China, and India.

• 2022: UCSD is in the process of applying to become an Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, Desi serving institution.

Representation, Retention, Inclusion, and Action

Recruitment

• We (BIPOC) know recruitment is important on all levels (K-12 to leadership) because it is the only way to hold the door open for others.

• This is the most visible part of most efforts. Unfortunately, this is also another avenue of unpaid labor for BIPOC. Find the balance of how much you want to participate, and don’t feel guilty for saying no. “We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are” — Anaïs Nin

Actions you can take (if you have the bandwidth):

• Take on undergraduate mentees and support their work/life balance. Help provide a space for them to express themselves in STEM while acknowledging they have life beyond the university.

• Participate in search committees and recruitment events across campus. BioSci recruits students, staff, and faculty. Ask your PI about their post-doc hiring process. Participate in the campus-wide searches for positions like the Dean of Health Sciences.

Retention & Inclusion

• Data on retention is often used as a program metric for DEI success, because it indicates how many BIPOC are present. This is obviously not sufficient – half the battle of increasing diversity is creating a climate where people want to be. Limas and colleagues identify “Minority Stress” as a contributor to mental health issues in historically marginalized groups. This can be compounded for individuals with marginalized identities in a dominant majority workgroup. 2

• This is also a subtle way to identify if an environment is a good place for you. How many people have left, and how many are staying. Of those who stay, do they feel comfortable expressing themselves (food, clothing, hair)?

Actions you can take (if you have the bandwidth):

• Encourage speaking about the lived experiences of your group. You can start small, discussing holidays or restaurants

• Hold optional “EDI Hour” or some other space for your group to talk about non-research stressors in life.

• Find and engage with your community

Funding  

• Systemic racism does not exclude the funding and award sphere. Though it’s assumed that funding structures are a meritocracy, awards and funds go to a select group of research labs. “35%–40% of NIH grant funding was indeed awarded to the top 10% of the investigator workforce” 3

Actions you can take (if you have the bandwidth):

• Collaborate with other groups to strengthen your grant applications?

• Share these data with administrators who are in a position to change the system

Awards

• “under-represented students innovate at a higher rate than majority students, but are less likely to be recognised for their contributions, termed the “Diversity–Innovation Paradox in Science” 4

• “awardees [of biomedical research awards] are overwhelmingly white (more than 90%)” 5

Actions you can take (if you have the bandwidth):

• Self-nominate!

• Nominate others for awards, including unfunded awards like “Inclusive Excellence”. It takes some time to write about others, but it’s worth it!

• Accept opportunities to serve on judging panels for posters, talks, and other awarding events. This serves two purposes: visibility of BIPOC in positions of power, and the inclusion of another perspective when providing awards.

Advocating for yourself and others

Actions you can take (if you have the bandwidth):

• Read the following:

  • Clemens, Khodakhah, and Fenton published an organized article “Navigating Clues to Success in Academia”. All three are BIPOC and include that experience in their paper.6

  • Hood Feminism

Recommendations on how to navigate being BIPOC in Academia

• As many of us know, representation matters, and is often a building block for forming a community. Seek out other BIPOC, first-gen, and immigrant students within your cohorts, the division, greater-UCSD, and even outside academia altogether because they will "get" it.

• It's exhausting to whitewash and "professionalize" yourself

  • The current climate does not reward non-white life and it won't change without systemic change, but chnage is something we can actively work towards

  • Don’t be afraid to be your whole true self in spaces that you feel welcome to do so. Sometimes this is in the lab, with your close friends, student orgs, etc.

  • Share your identity,, culture, and lived experience when YOU are comfortable doing so, not when you feel pressured to do so by others

  • Block time every week to just be, whatever that means for you

• Be mindful that power and marginalization are intersectional. Sometimes that means waiting and amplifying another community before your own

Resources for BIPOC at UCSD

1. Seminar Series

   1. DASL - https://www.ucsddasl.com

   2. Connections Events

2. Grad Student Orgs

   1. GPSA - https://gpsa.ucsd.edu/

   2. oSTEM - https://ostem.ucsd.edu 

   3. SACNAS - https://sacnasatucsd.ucsd.edu

   4. BUMMP - https://www.bummpucsd.org

   5. Girls Who Code - https://girlswhocode.com

   6. BioEASI - https://bioeasi.ucsd.edu 

   7. You can also reach out to undergraduate student organizations that may love support and mentorship from graduate students. Cultural student orgs can be found at: https://studentorg.ucsd.edu/Home/Index/9 

• Diversity and Science Lecture series (DASL)

• Graduate Christian Fellowship @ UCSD (GCF)

• Graduate Out In STEM (Grad oSTEM)

• International Graduate Student Ministry (IGSM) at UCSD

• Black Graduate and Professional Student Association (BGPSA)

• Parents and Caregivers at UCSD (PAC)

• Graduate Bioinformatics Council, (GBIC)

• Robotic Graduate Student Organization at UCSD (RoboGrads)

• Biology Education and Art for Science Innovation (BioEASI)

• Biotech Group at UCSD

• Journal of International Policy Solutions

• Opioid Use and Harm Reduction Student Interest Group (OpRed)

• Graduate women in computing (GradWIC)

• SCIENCE Class - a jail outreach program

• ECE Graduate Student Council (ECE GSC)

• Queer Graduate Student Association (QGSA)

• Triton Food Pantry (TFP)

• Bioengineering Graduate Society (BEGS)

• RE-volv_UCSD

• Grad oSTEM @ UCSD

• Green New Deal at UCSD (GND at UCSD)

• Graduate Women in Computing (GradWIC)

• Biotech Group at UCSD

• San Diego Tutoring Tree

• Association for Women in Mathematics at UC San Diego (AWM at UCSD)

1. Community Centers and Programs

   1. Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, Desi  Programs and Services - https://apimeda.ucsd.edu/index.html

   2. Intertribal Resource Center - https://itrc.ucsd.edu/index.html

   3. Women’s Center - https://women.ucsd.edu

   4. Black Resource Center - https://brc.ucsd.edu

   5. Cross Cultural Center - https://ccc.ucsd.edu

   6. LGBT Resource Center - https://lgbt.ucsd.edu

   7. RAZA Resource Center - https://raza.ucsd.edu

2. Optional: Additional Reading

   1. Thick: And Other Essays

   2. Liner Notes for the Revolution: The Intellectual Life of Black Feminists

   3. Hood Feminism (does not address the South Adian diaspora)

   4. Crying in H Mart

   5. Who is Wellness Fo

   6. Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations

   7. Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning

   8. Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America

   9. Ask Hema for recommendations of really good fiction/sci-fi/fantasy books with BIPOC and stories that make us feel seen.

      1. Ex. Binti by Nnedi Okorafor 

References:

1. Cartwright, A. A theory of racialized cultural capital. Sociol. Inq. (2022) doi:10.1111/soin.12479.

2. Limas, J. C., Corcoran, L. C., Baker, A. N., Cartaya, A. E. & Ayres, Z. J. The impact of research culture on mental health & diversity in STEM. Chemistry e202102957 (2022) doi:10.1002/chem.202102957.

3. Dzirasa, K. Revising the a Priori Hypothesis: Systemic Racism Has Penetrated Scientific Funding. Cell 183, 576–579 (2020).

4. Hofstra, B. et al. The Diversity–Innovation Paradox in Science. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 117, 9284–9291 (2020).

5. Jan, Y. N. Underrepresentation of Asian awardees of United States biomedical research prizes. Cell 185, 407–410 (2022).

6. Clemens, A. M., Khodakhah, K. & Fenton, A. A. Navigating clues to success in academia. Neuron (2021) doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2021.09.043.

A Modified APA Template in Google Docs

My students in “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion in Human Biology” are writing their research assignments in APA format, but not all of them are familiar with the nuances. I made them a template in Google Docs so ease-of-use:

Click HERE to access the template

Anyone can view it, and make a copy for themselves. Please note that the actual APA guidelines are stricter than what I’ve used in my template.

Guide to Graduate School Applications

I get asked a lot about applying to graduate school, and put together a practical guide on navigating the application process once you’ve committed to the idea.

You can find the PDF of v3.0 HERE

---

Hema’s Guide to Graduate School Applications

V3.0 2022-08-15 HK

Introductory Questions:

1. What do you want to get out of grad school, and why?

This is the first and most important question to ask yourself, because a PhD program is not an end-career, it is a stepping stone to multiple other careers. Remember that graduate school is a job. It's an underpaid, demanding job, but still very much a job. You will be paid for your intellectual property, but at a much lower rate than if you go outside of academia. (This is not to discourage you, but to remind you that you have worth)

Not everyone wants to become a professor, there are lots of other things you can do with a PhD: Industry research scientist, Biotech CEO/CSO (chief science officer), Medical Writer, Science Communicator/Journalist/Advisor, Venture Capital, political lobbyist, etc.

2.  What is your "big question" and do you need grad school to solve it?

The Timeline:

Summer Identify letters of recommendation, start outlining a statement of purpose

Fall Applications open. The UC Programs typically open in October and close in December

Winter Applications will be reviewed, and you may get invitations to interview

Spring Final decisions are made

Summer 2 Relax!

Fall 2 Matriculate

Fall: Application Season

1. Pick your schools (5-12 schools)

Rank them by "safety" to "Why not?" Use the following considerations:

• Would you like to live there for 10 years?

• What is the weather like?

• What are the demographics?

• What's the transportation/commuting?

• What's the cost of living?

2. Pick your program

Use your "big question" to tailor the programs you apply to. You can often apply to multiple programs in the same institution.

1. How is the program funded?

• Is fully funded?

• Is there a stipend?

• Do you have TA for your pay?

• How many current students are on fellowships?

• What healthcare do they offer?

• What retirement plans are available (if at all?)

2. Look up the program logistics

• Do they offer rotations or direct admits?

• Do they have a TA requirement? If so, why?

• What exams/classes are there?

• What is the candidacy process?

• What is the retention rate?

• What is the average time to graduate?

• IMPORTANT: Consider how your background is a “fit” for the program.

  • In Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience, and Marine Biology, there is enough overlap that you may want to consider applying to one or more of these programs. This is because you’ll be able to do the research you want regardless of the end degree name (kind of like with undergrad majors). It’s what you do that matters, not the label.
    

3. Identify Professors you want to work with!

• Who is doing research that relates to your “big question”? It’s unlikely you’ll find an exact match, but that’s okay! What’s worrying is if you can’t find anyone with enough overlap that you would be happy studying their research for 5-7 years.

• Reach out to them before you apply! Try and talk to them, or to their students, to see if they are accepting graduate students next year. This is good to know because sometimes you might be a good fit but that professor has no funding.

4. What else does the university offer you?

Remember you’re going to move your whole life to this location, so be sure to set yourself up for success in this new place. Look for:

• Resource Centers

• Outreach Opportunities

• Connections to non-academic job opportunities

• Visible commitment to anti-bullying and Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity (not just racial, but gender, first-generation, and ableism too)

3. THE APPLICATION:

Find the School's Portal. Then make an account and identify what they require for their application. It’s usually the following:

1. Three Letters of Recommendation

Recommendations from people who can vouch for your research skills, integrity, and academic skills. These are typically: Research Professor, an instructor, another professional who can vouch for your work:

• You’ll want to pick a back-up writer too

• Example wording: ”Would you be comfortable writing
  me a strong letter of recommendation. I understand if you do not have the bandwidth/time right now"

• Get them NOW and not later (while they still remember you!!!). Even if you don’t know the you’ll apply to graduate school, it's better to have them now.

• TIP: Use a letter writing service when possible, like Interfolio or Virtual Evals. This lets you manage the letters in consequent years.
  

2. GRE

Not all programs require it now, but if you do, then be sure to sign up ASAP. You can take a prep course, but I’ve found that the best thing you can do is setting aside time to practice consistently and frequently. Get books from the library or sign up for Magoosh to get flashcards.

3. Statement of Purpose (SoP)

Don’t confuse this with a “personal statement”. This document is essentially your career statement:

• What is your big question

• Why are you an asset/good fit for the program

• What are your long-term career goals
  

4. Personal History/Diversity & Research Statements

Good schools ask you to talk about your personal history or will have a separate research section. These allow you to 1) expand on your community service or outreach and 2) go in to more detail about your research methodology and scientific thought processes.

It’s okay to reference your SoP, but don’t duplicate information.

5. Secondary Questions

Each school will often have program-specific questions for you, usually to see if you might be eligible for a training grant or other internal funding source. I didn’t realize that until after getting in to the program, so now you know too.

• “Funding” questions

• List of faculty you’re interested in talking to or working with

• List of your publications, presentations, honors/awards

• Sometimes the program wants a full breakdown of the time you’ve worked. It’s best to keep a running spreadsheet you can continually reference.

6. Curriculum Vitae

The CV is literally every academic, research, or professional thing you’ve done. It will be 2-5 pages to begin with but will grow over your career. Include 5-8 bullets of what you did and learned in each opportunity.

I highly recommend you make a personal website and Google Scholar account now. It will help the faculty who look you up later, and lets you curate your online presence.

WINTER

THE INTERVIEWS

Interviews are a program’s indication that they would like to offer you a spot, but want to check you out first. Invitations go out in Winter, and the program manager will be in contact with you about travel arrangements, as well as interview logistics. Plan to take PTO if possible since these are typically Thursday-Sunday affairs.

You do not need to bring physical materials, but take a notebook to each of your interviews to reference later and review your observations about the place. Wear weather-appropriate attire, and ideally business casual.

1. Review the Professors

The professors are always going to ask “tell me about yourself”. Prep an elevator pitch summarizing your research and interests in a few sentences.

• Skim 2-3 papers by the professor, ask them about their findings

• Tell them about why you think it’s interesting

• Ask if they will be taking students this year

• Pro-tip: Ask if they have funding to take a student, and how many students in the program typically get external funding.

2. Check the “vibe”

Talk with current students and see if you would like to keep hanging out with them.

• How many them have easy access to therapy?

• What is the cost-of-living to stipend ratio

• Are they able to find affordable housing

• How does the program treat students with disabilities, underrepresented minorities, and LGBTQIA+ students?

• How many students have families?

  • This is an important question, because it will tell you if the program is supportive of work-life balance. While having a family in grad school is a personal decision, the program is responsible for maintaining an environment where students are treated like adults, which means having time for personal growth

3. Large vs. Small programs

I’ve found that there is a significant difference in how smaller programs treats interviews (ie more seriously). This is in part due to the ranking, and the importance of “fit” in a smaller group.

Large programs are competing for a bigger pool of students, so they will invite more students to interview knowing that maybe 50-75% will accept. At UCSD BioSci, most invited students have also been accepted to UCLA or Cal (sister campuses) sot he interview is more a “wine and dine”, serving as a sanity check to make sure that you actually meet the description of your PoS.

4. Make Friends!

Talk with your peer interviewees about the vibes and information they’ve been getting during the weekend. These may be your eventual cohort wherever you go, and you’re likely to see them at other interviews too.

• You don’t have to disclose where you’ve applied/gotten interviews for. You can simply say this is “my first” or “my last” or “my only on in X location” and that’s vague enough.

• You don’t have to go to any “after parties” or other events hosted by current students unless you feel comfortable

• My recommendation is to only go to voluntary events if they're being held in public spaces. You want to see the town you might be living in.

• If possible, schedule brunch at a local restaurant before you have to leave.

OFFERS/REJECTIONS

• Give yourself permission to cry and celebrate

• I know it’s hard, but be happy for others do not compare yourself to them!

• Good job!
  

Navigating Bias in the Job Search

Watch the video Here:

https://youtu.be/rK-61F8fsDo

Jun 27, 2022 In this workshop. the graduate career advisor from the Career Center, the VP of EDI of the Graduate Professional Students Association and 3 LEAD Fellows will lead a conversation on navigating bias in the job search. We will walk through tips on researching and evaluating a company's culture of diversity, discuss the interview process, and ways to leverage an equitable offer from the potential employer.

Moderator: Jessica Wilson, Associate Director, UCSD Career Center

Panelists:

-Hema Kopalle, VP of EDI, Graduate Professional Students Association

-Veronica Abreu, Asst. Dean, Academic Advising, Revelle College; LEAD Fellow

-Dominic Cooper, EDI Project Manager, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; 2022 LEAD Fellow

Building your Community: A Student Discussion on Developing Wellness

I was invited to speak at the UCSD Mental Health Symposium on May 2022

You can find the recording here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJJP7OaIeHM

Questions to ask when onboarding a new mentee

Onboarding and transtions are crucial to increasing a person’s sense of belonging and success in an institution. I’ll add a full guide on “How to make and onboarding guide” soon, but for now keep these key questions in mind:

Question to Discuss when Onboarding:

1. What are your preferred communication/work hours? 

   Be mindful that not everyone works at the same time of day, or even time zone!

2. What are your preferred communication methods?

   These can be a gradient of things, for example mine are:

   • Email for formal and non-urgent communication (also meeting minutes and action items!)

   • Face:face/Zoom for discussions and decisions

   • Text for reminders, semi-urgent things, and informal discussions that get brought to a group

   • Calling for urgent matters, but I may not pick up if I’m in a meeting.

3. How fast do you expect someone else, and yourself to respond to emails?

   Again, you want to establish your boundaries and your mentee’s

   Example: I try to respond in 2 business days, I expect a response within a week (note: will use subject heading with urgent deadlines)

4. How do you approach conflict resolution?

   This can require a few minutes to think about, but it’s very important to understand how people respond and react to stressors. Not everyone is comfortable bluntly saying what bothers them, especially individuals who have been socialized to maintain harmony.

   • Example: The person needs time to sit with their feeling about the conflict

   • Example: The person prefers to verbalize (audibly or text) their thought process

   • Example: The person will adapt to the other party’s needs, but requests 3rd party to help to understand the conflict (just talking, not a full mediator)

5. How often do you want to formally check-in?

   Bring agenda items to the check-in. Set goals and identify action items. Ideally make a tracker to open/close agenda items but you might not have that many.

   • Weekly for half hour?

   • Bi-weekly for an hour?

   • Monthly or as needed?

6. What are your goals for your tenure?