Who May Serve as a SURF Co-Mentor?
Mentors often assign another member of the laboratory group to provide day-to-day supervision of their SURF students. Co-mentors may be senior graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, technical staff, or other colleagues.
The Role of a SURF Co-Mentor
While faculty and JPL Mentors have overall professional and financial
responsibility for the SURF/MURF students in the laboratory, they may assign
the role of co-mentor to others. The role of the co-mentor will vary from laboratory
to laboratory, and co-mentors should consult with their advisors to determine
the degree of responsibility they will have for a SURF student. Some co-mentors
will be given full responsibility and authority for supervising a SURF or MURF
student; others will provide limited oversight or guidance.
The primary role of the mentor/co-mentor is to serve as the senior partner in a collaboration with the student. It is important that the student be offered—and eventually accept—intellectual responsibility for his/her own project, but for most students the project will be the first research experience, so the mentor has also to be a teacher and a coach as well as a partner.
The primary responsibilities of the mentor/co-mentor are to prepare for the student’s arrival and to help the student meet all of the requirements of the program under which the student is registered; however, there are a number of specific responsibilities that each mentor will have in preparing for the project and in guiding the student through it during the summer:
- Mentors are invited to write an Announcement of Opportunity (AO) outlining the background, motivation, and objectives of the project and the nature of the work the student will do, providing literature references or web sites where the student will be able to learn more about the subject; and giving contact information. Prospective co-mentors should consult with their advisors if they would like to put a project forward as a SURF project. Email AO to the Student-Faculty Programs Office. AOs will be posted on the SURF web site.
- Consult with the student on the planning of the project and review a draft of the student's proposal. Note that the proposal should be the student’s product; the mentor may not write it, but may and should provide advice and guidance during its preparation.
- Mentors
will complete the online Mentor Recommendation Form by the March 1 deadline.
Co-mentors may assist with the evaluation of applicants. Mentors will be
prompted by the SFP Online system to complete the evaluation when the student
has submitted his/her application. Contact the SFPO at 626.395.2885 or via email if
you have questions or need further information.
- Mentor/co-mentor must be aware
of the date of arrival of the student and make relevant preparations, including
providing a place for the student to sit, a computer, and a telephone.
- During
the first week after the student’s arrival, the student will be required
to attend a Safety Orientation Meeting. Following the meeting, the mentor/co-mentor
or laboratory safety officer must review with the student the Workplace Specific
Safety Orientation Checklist for SURF/MURF students and, with the student,
sign the form. The student must return the signed form to the Student-Faculty Programs Office.
- During the summer, the mentor and/or co-mentor oversees the
student's work on the project and consults at regular and appropriate intervals.
- Sign the progress reports and abstract which the student must
submit throughout the summer. Mentors must authorize someone to sign the reports
in their absence. Mentors should use the progress reports as an opportunity
to discuss research progress, problems, etc. Students should use the reports
to practice technical writing skills.
- Collaborate with the student in writing
the abstract and final report. The paper must be submitted electronically
by the fourth Friday in September. Mentors will receive a prompt from the SFP
Online system to approve the paper online. November 1 is the deadline for approved
final reports.
- If a SURF student continues work on the project during the
academic year, he or she must still submit an interim report by the deadline.
A final draft describing additional work or results may be submitted later
for the SURF archives.
- Help the student prepare for the oral presentation,
normally given during the third week in August or on the third Saturday
in October. An oral report is a requirement for all the students in SFP-sponsored
programs.
- Mentors/co-mentors are invited to introduce the student at the
oral presentation. We encourage lab groups to attend the presentation to support
and encourage the student!
- Contact the Student-Faculty Programs Office [Email
us at sfp@caltech.edu or call 626.395.2885]
if administrative problems arise.
SURF Compensation
SURF students receive $600/week. Mentors normally pay half the amount, and the
Student-Faculty Programs Office provides matching funds raised from a variety
of sources, including private individuals, corporations, foundations, and the
SURF endowment.
Non-Caltech Students
SURF has extremely limited funding for non-Caltech students; mentors will
usually have to bear the full cost for these students. However, the Institute
has benefited from the participation in SURF by students from other universities;
several have returned for graduate work; a few have become upper-class transfers.
Vacation Requests
Students may take vacation time during the summer with the approval of the mentor; however, students must complete all 10 weeks of the program before the beginning of instruction in the fall term at Caltech.
SURF Co-Mentor Advisory Council
The SURF Co-Mentor Advisory Council serves as liaison between the SURF/MURF co-mentors and the Student-Faculty Programs office. They also assist in the planning and implementation training and support programs, respond to queries and comments posted on the Lifeguard listserv, and sometimes host “coffee and discussion” sessions to allow co-mentors to get together to share experiences and information.
Co-Mentor Training and Support
Co-mentor workshops are held each June to provide training and support for co-mentors and those mentoring students for the first time. The workshops are given by experienced mentors and co-mentors who will give advice and tips from their experience and observations. It is a good opportunity for co-mentors to ask questions and get information and resources.
A listserv has been established to allow mentors and co-mentors
to ask questions or get information throughout the summer. Send email to COMAC2008@caltech.edu and
a member of the Co-Mentor Advisory Council will respond.
For tips on mentoring, click here.
