The goal of the Mentoring Committee is to enhance networking between researchers in the early stages of their career (such as students, postdocs and early independent scientists) and established protein scientists in academia, government and industry. We provide opportunities for young protein scientists to present their work and build networks at the society meetings and through web media.
A list of current and future activities of the committee, along with the names of the current committee members responsible for them, and a brief description is provided below:
How to start a new lab
Organizing local Protein Society chapters is also something we have talked about. This could motivate students to submit their abstracts to the annual meeting and build a larger network of younger protein scientists.
Any thoughts on these ideas or other suggestions are highly appreciated.
4. Breakfasts
CNC Member responsible: Olve Peersen
Involves selection of invited guests from industry, academia, government, and attendance to track success of event. For next year, find funding and good venue for this event.
5. Advertisements
CNC Member responsible: Eric Gardner
Involves organizing and reminding that session speakers should announce committee events. Communicate with the Protein Society for content and number and location of promotion materials (boards, info leafs on tables etc.)
6. Graduate program fair
CNC Member responsible: Eric Gardner
Ensure free registration for undergrads to attend fair
Advertise in spring and in summer to local undergrads in San Diego area / Boston area depending on the location of the meeting.
Write to speakers and other registered attendants to encourage them to represent their grad program to get best possible coverage of programs nationwide
7. Fundraising
CNC Members responsible: Blake Hill, John McLean, Dan Slade, Eric Gardner
Contact companies
Organize raffles?
8. Career Panel
CNC Member responsible: John McLean
Involves organizing 3-5 panelists from attendants and chairing the session. At the career panel discussion, the audience can ask anything career-related.
9. Preparation of the Flyer
CNC Member responsible: Melissa Turman
Involves preparation of the flyer, communication with The Protein Society about location and timing information, and coordinating with other committee members to organize their events early so that the flyer will be finalized when printed and no more changes are made afterwards.
10. Liaison person for communicating with Education Committee
CNC Member responsible: Melissa Turman
Ensures that we know about each others activities and integrate them as much as possible
11. Newsletter
CNC Member responsible: Melissa Turman
Involves taking pictures or organizing to get them from other members of the committee or protein society administration and writing the newsletter and ensuring it is posted on the website
Melissa’s outstanding newsletter article was just posted on the website and is in press for the printed version of the society newsletter.
12. Writing reports
CNC Member responsible: Judith Klein-Seetharaman
Involves writing reports on coommittee activities twice a year for Council meeting. Any new activities, or activities that require funding need to be submitted to the Council for approval.
13. Website
CNC Member responsible: Melissa Turman
Involves expanding and updating the website. As the website is now hosted by faseb directly on the proteinsociety.org website, this involves simply sending raw text and images to the website administration.
14. Mixer
CNC Member responsible: still open
Involves fund-raising from society and industry and some organizing (although most is done by the Society).
Involves personally inviting meeting attendants to attend, and helping integration of students/postodoc with more senior members from academia and industry at the mixer itself.
Perhaps prepare advertising and a little speech to introduce attendants, e.g. from industry or government
15. New members
CNC Member responsible: Melissa Turman
Our activities have been expanding significantly over the years and there are still many more activities that could be done to further enhance our mission. The more active members we have the more we can do to help early career scientists.
We have a form for putative new members to fill out. It is posted on the website but we also need to make sure that the forms for new members are given out at meeting in visible places, including after each of our events etc.
Involves informing new members of our activities, discussing with them what we do and how they can help
