Mentors
Mentor Announcements
2012 Expo Judge Registration is now open!!!
Please sign up HERE to be a judge for the 2012 Student Bio Expo!
The only requirements are that you:
--attend the Expo (May 24th, Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue, 8 am to 1 pm)
--come to the pre-judging event at Amgen on May 15th (3:30-5:30)
--read and assess 5-8 Expo projects (depending on the category)
--Please note that Expo mentors cannot judge in any category in which they mentored students.
While being scientifically savvy is a plus, we encourage people from a variety of different disciplines to help judge our unique science projects. If you know a creative individual who has a flexible schedule, please steer them our way. We would be happy to welcome them into the Expo community.
--Mentors of all commitment levels must fill out a Mentor Background Check Form - please print out and mail or fax (pdf) (word). If you completed a form last year, it is not necessary to resubmit this form.
--Need inspiration?
Check out these multimedia projects for a better idea of the potential creativity of Expo projects.
For a project on Crohne's Disease, go HERE!
For a project on Gene Therapy, go HERE!
Don't be afraid of being creative (or hilarious)!!!
Mentorship Options
- E-mentor: For mentors not able to meet in person due to location. Correspond via e-mail with each assigned student a minimum of 4 times over the year. Read the student’s outline and project rough-draft.
- 1-on-1 Mentor: You agree to have a minimum of one in-person meeting with your student, correspond via e-mail and phone, and read the student’s project outline and rough draft.
- Job Shadow: You are able to offer the student a job shadow at your place of work, correspond via e-mail and phone, and read the student’s project outline and rough draft.
- Lab Research Mentor: You are available to have a student work with you in your research lab and you will assist the student in the research process.
Other Expo Volunteer Opportunities:
Please contact Joan Griswold or call 206-957-3337 if you are interested in these opportunities.
In-school Expo Coordinator: This is a more in-depth volunteer opportunity for anyone wanting to spend time in a classroom. Assist an Expo teacher approximately one (1) hour per week. Get to know the students and their mentors! Help students: register online, keep track of Expo deadlines, understand their category requirements and compile their final projects. Respond to students and mentors as needed and guide them in a successful mentor relationship. You will be coordinating with the Expo teacher, NWABR Expo Mentor Coordinator, other NWABR staff, and students and mentors. Please contact Joan Griswold or call 206-957-3337 if you are interested in this opportunities.
Readers of Student Papers: You do not need to be a scientist! This is a great volunteer opportunity for anyone with a good understanding of the written English language. Throughout the month of March, approximately 3-4 students will send you an electronic copy of their 10-12 page paper. We request you provide feedback within two weeks of receipt. Students will benefit from feedback on what they’re doing right and any suggestions for increased clarity and adherence to acceptable writing conventions. Students understand they are not to rely on you for specific rewording or for science content. Consistent challenges you may see in their work usually includes problems with appropriate paragraph breaks, homonym traps (you’re vs. your), and not knowing when to break up text with section headings. They will also benefit from your feedback on voice, tense, clarity, any sections that are exciting or dull, word choice, etc.
Expo Judges: You will need to be available for an afternoon prejudging session and on the day of the Expo. Mentors are welcome to be judges if judging in a category other than the one chosen by the mentee. More information and sign-up for 2012 will be available on our Judges' page shortly.
ADDITIONAL FORMS
MANDATORY: Background Check Form - please print out and mail or fax (pdf) (word)
If you completed a form last year, it is not necessary to resubmit this form.
Mentor/Student Initial Project Development Form - This form is designed to help advisors and students discuss the initial stages of a project. (pdf) (word)
TIMELINE FOR MENTORS
- October 2011-December 2011
- Mentors matched with students
- Please contact your student within one week of being matched.
- December 2011 - April 2012
- Students work on Project
- January 2012
- Outlines due to mentor
- March 2012
- Final rough draft to mentor
- April 2012
- Projects DUE to NWABR by April 25 (some classes may have earlier due dates, please check with your student)
- May 2012
- Prejudging session on May 15
- The Expo will be held on May 24, 2012 at Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue, WA
MENTOR EVENTS
Check back soon for mentor events!
MENTOR QUALIFICATIONS
* Are you passionate about your work?
* Do you enjoy helping others?
* Would you like to work with high school students?
* Do you have a basic understanding of science?
* Do you have the professional background to provide assistance to students as they work on creative projects?
* Are you looking for meaningful and educational volunteer work?
If you answered yes to the above questions, you may be a perfect mentor!
-Mentors need not have PhDs though it is best if their work relates to either scientific research, biotechnology/biomedicine, or to one of the student project categories such as art, performance, web design or writing.
-Previous mentors have included lawyers (biotech patent lawyers) and architects (research facility designers). Our best mentors are creative, resourceful people with an interest in science. All mentors are required to complete a background check prior to working directly with students.