Biological Sciences Programs & Organizations
Peer Mentor Program
What is the Mentorship program all about?
The Biology Graduate Student mentorship program matches an incoming first year Biology PhD student with an upperclassman mentor. The goal is for mentors to help guide their mentee through the first year of the PhD program by listening to the mentee’s concerns and questions as well as providing another student perspective and opinion.
What is the time commitment for participants of the mentorship program?
Mentors and mentees will be required to meet monthly for the first year and quarterly thereafter. They will be treated to coffee on the department at Art of Espresso or the Salk Institute (details will be provided on how to access this benefit).
- Attendance at an introductory dinner for mentors and mentees to meet.
- Mentors will be encouraged to attend each Boot Camp happy hour during orientation.
- Mentors will be strongly encouraged to attend the Biology retreat to get to know their mentee at these events.
Attendance at two more program-wide social events later in the year will be encouraged for mentors and mentees. In November, we will have a social event such as a happy hour to encourage discussions about rotation planning and how course work/social life is progressing. Late in the following April, a second event will be held for mentors and mentees to focus on advising lab choice.
The mentorship program IS...
- a chance to get to know other students in the program and network between the classes
- an informal setting in which to discuss issues relating to the first year of grad school – rotations, classes, choosing a lab, etc.
- an opportunity to make new friends and have fun
The mentorship program is NOT...
- meant to provide official university advice regarding your PhD degree or replace academic advising
- a substitute for medical services or advice
- a substitute for professional mental health services, such as counseling
- meant to provide legal advice
Peer Mentorship Program Student Committee 2011-2012
Suzy Szumowski (co-chair)
Chris Koehler (co-chair)
Alexa Clemmons
Tiffany Dunbar
Marty Flores
Sarah Burnett Jon Hetzel
Portia Lombardo
Amanda Mason
Anthony Phan
Divisional Contacts
Cathy Pugh
Student Affairs, 1028B Pacific Hall
(858) 534-0181
cpugh@ucsd.edu
Jim Kadonaga
Chair of the Graduate Education Committee
(858)534-4608 or (858) 534-4751
jkadonaga@ucsd.edu
Gabriele Wienhausen
Associate Dean of Education
6213 NSB
(858) 534-3105
gwienhausen@ucsd.edu
Resources for Peer Mentors
- If anybody is in immediate medical danger or is a threat to themselves or others, call 911.
- Suicide hotline: 24/7 crisis counseling
- English: 1-800-SUICIDE or 1 800 273 TALK
- Spanish: 1 888 628 9454
UCSD Student Health – GSHIP medical services
- Urgent Care (858) 534-3302
- Appointments (858) 534-8089
Counseling and Psychological services at UCSD
- Info and appointments: http://caps.ucsd.edu/
- An Urgent Care Psychologist is available at (858) 534-3755 (weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the CAPS Central Office located in Galbraith Hall, Room 190 at Revelle College).
- After hours telephone counseling is available for urgent matters by calling CAPS Central Office at (858) 534-3755 and selecting Option 2.
Ombudsman Office at UCSD
The UCSD Office of the Ombuds provides confidential, neutral, and informal dispute resolution services for the UCSD community.
UCSD LGBT Resource Center
The LGBT Resource Center at UCSD provides a visible presence on campus and enhances a sense of connection and community among LGBT faculty, staff, students, alumni and the UCSD Community. They feature student groups, LGBT support groups, a newsletter, and numerous events.
Phone: (858) 822-3493.
Center for Ethics and Spirituality
CES is staffed by lay and professionally-trained leaders representing major religious groups. The staff provides religious/spiritual information, services, education, and non-denominational spiritual and secular counseling to all students regardless of religious affiliation. 201 University Center (located on Myers Drive; building 986 on campus map) (858) 534-2521.
Housing at UCSD
Division of Biological Sciences Graduate Student housing brochure (PDF)
BioEASI
BioEASI (Bio Education and Art for Science Innovation) is a team of graduate students in the UCSD Division of Biological Sciences.
The mission of BioEASI is to facilitate the interaction between scientists and the public through outreach, education and the arts to increase public interest in and support for basic scientific research, and to enhance the communication and creative thinking skills of scientists.
Science Power Hour
Science Power Hour is a student-run program where graduate students come together to work on their science communication skills without the added pressure of faculty members present.
Once a month, 2 presenters come forward and describe their current projects and progress they may have made. This way, not only do presenters get to practice speaking in front of varied audiences, they also get a chance to work on asking questions in a public forum, allow their work and presentations to be respectfully critiqued, and foster their own sense of community.
