Research Mentor News, December 2016

BUILD Program Updates and Deadlines

As the year and semester come to a close, there are some reporting requirements that need to be wrapped up.

Please turn in your mentee evaluation forms by Dec. 16 and your mid-year report for Second-Year Scholars by Jan. 27, 2017. These forms help us track trainee progress and make sure they are meeting their obligations to the BUILD program.

First-Year Scholars will be preparing for their GRE exams and applying to Summer internships soon. Keep your eyes open for requests from your mentee(s) for letters of recommendation.

 
 

Help Us Recruit Mentees for Your Lab in the Spring

The first two BUILD informational sessions were held last week. These sessions help prospective trainees learn about the program and how to apply. More sessions will be scheduled in January and February. If you know any students who would be a good fit for the BUILD program, please refer them to the coming information sessions. More information will be sent as dates are finalized.

 
 

Keep a Look Out for Research Keyword Request

We are improving our mentor/mentee matching tool, making it more interactive and easier to use for prospective trainees. To do this, we’ve standardized our list of keywords. Soon you will receive an email listing our available keywords and requesting you inform us of which ones best match your work. Making sure mentors have the correct keywords attached to their research is critical for efficient and effective mentor/mentee matching. Please respond to the forthcoming email as soon as possible, as the recruiting of the next cohort of trainees will begin in January.

 
 

Increased Hours Allowed for Trainees During Year’s End

timecard

During the semester, hours that BUILD Trainees can work are limited to 15 hours per week. However, during the Winter break, trainees may be able to work extended hours. Below is the schedule for Winter hours.

  • Dec. 19-23: Maximum of 15 hours
  • Dec. 26-30: Maximum of 8 hours per day, 40 hours for the week
  • Jan. 3-6: Maximum of 8 hours per day – Jan. 2 is a holiday, do not sign for hours on this day
  • Jan. 9-13: Maximum of 8 hours per day, 40 hours for the week
  • Jan. 17-20: Maximum of 8 hours per day – Jan. 16 is a holiday, do not sign for hours on this day
 
 

Looking for CNSM GA

Do you know a College of Natural Sciences and Math student who would make a good graduate assistant (GA) for the BUILD program? We are looking to fill a GA position for the Spring semester. Please refer interested parties to Enri'que Flores at Enrique.Flores@csulb.edu to apply for the open spots.

 
 

SACNAS Helps Scholars Plan for Their Future

Tatiana Avila, Michael Torres and Vivianna Goh, First-Year S


In September, 49 BUILD Scholars attended the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) National Conference, which was held here in Long Beach. Nine of them also presented. Many of our trainees felt that this conference was great preparation to ease them into the large professional conference experience, as well as prepare them for a career in research.

SACNAS offered “a great opportunity to network with different graduate school recruiters, and look into different potential summer internship programs,” said Tatiana Avila, a Year One BUILD Scholar who presented her research on aggression at SACNAS.

Continue reading …

 
 

Call for Abstracts: Annual BUILD Research Symposium

The next Annual BUILD Symposium will be held on Friday, Feb. 3, 2017. We are now accepting abstracts for oral presentations and demonstrations. This is an excellent opportunity for you to showcase your work and recruit prospective trainees to your lab. To learn more about requirements and to submit your abstract, visit the Call for Oral/Demo Presentations page. Deadline for submissions is Dec. 15, 2016.

 
 

Remember: Deadline to Spend 50% of Funds Coming Up

As a Research Mentor, you have funds available to purchase supplies. You need to spend 50% of those funds by Feb. 28, 2017, and the remainder by May 31, 2017. These funds cannot be carried over. Therefore, as soon as you are ready to order materials and supplies, contact Marie Reed at Marie.Reed@csulb.edu.

 
 

Coming Next Issue …

  • Annual Symposium Updates
  • New Semester Announcements

 

 

Communicating with BUILD

We invite your news about your BUILD Trainee and any questions, comments, concerns, or suggestions about BUILD.  If you have any of these, in relation to being a BUILD Mentor, or concerns about your BUILD Student, please contact us at BUILD.mentors@csulb.edu.  Be sure to keep an eye out for the next newsletter.