The Postdoc/Mentor
Relationship
Outline
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What are mentors and who will yours be?
Setting expectations for your mentor
What expectations your mentor has of you
The Postdoc/Mentor Compact
Picking a Lab/Changing Labs
Who are your mentors?
• Research Mentors
– Your PI
– Collaborators
– Other postdocs
• Life mentors
– People whose advice you trust
– People who have succeeded at what you
want to do
Compact between you and your
mentor
• A statement of reasonable expectations
For your mentor and for you
– Ensure that a mutually agreed upon set of
expectations are in place at the outset of the
postdoc training period and are reviewed and
revised periodically.
– Develop a research project that includes welldefined goals and timelines.
– Maintain a relationship that is based on trust
and mutual respect
What should you expect from your PI?
• guidance and mentoring and a desire improve their
mentoring skills
• a training environment that is suited to your individual
needs to ensure personal and professional growth.
• Provide sufficient opportunities to acquire the skills
necessary to become an expert in the chosen field of
study.
• Provide regular feedback (at least once per month) on
the postdoc’s performance
• Ensure that your research is submitted for publication in
a timely manner and that appropriate credit is given for
the work performed. Acknowledge your contribution to
the development of any intellectual property
What will your PI expect from you
• Perform research conscientiously, maintain
comprehensive research records, and catalog and store
tangible research materials.
• Assume progressive responsibility and management of
my research project(s) as it matures and stay abreast of
the literature related to my field of research.
• Seek regular feedback (at least once per month) on my
performance from my mentor.
• Work with my mentor to submit research results for
publication in a timely manner.
• Leave behind all original notebooks, computerized files,
and tangible research materials so that other individuals
can carry on related research after I leave the lab
Qualities to Consider when
Selecting a Lab
• Science and a project you’re passionate
about
• Matching expectations between postdoc
and mentor
• Career decisions
• Time – yours and theirs
• Trust and respect
• Money
Science
• The science is interesting and you can
work reasonably independently
• Are there projects you can develop on
your own – you can think of these as well
• Consider the next step (job)
– How will my mentor help me find the right job
– What if my mentor is not interested in helping
Matching Expectations
• Match your expectations for a PI with a
realistic assessment about whether the PI
can meet them or not
• Match your PI’s expectations for you with
a realistic assessment about whether you
can meet them or not
• Match your “personality” to that of the lab.
Mentor and lab personalities are diverse
What expectations you should have
for your mentor
• One who is interested in being your
mentor
• A training environment where you can
grow as a scientist
• Opportunities to develop skills
• Regular feedback
• Timely publication of your results and
acknowledgement of your contributions
What expectations should your
mentor have for you
• Dedication of time and effort toward your
research
• Careful data management
• Responsibility for your research (analysis of data
and generation of new ideas) – own your project
• Seek regular feedback and communicate what
you are doing
• Provide data and text for publications and grants
in a timely manner
• Understand data and materials ownership
Expectations about Career
• The major responsibility of mapping out your career falls
on you
• See where postdocs who leave the PI’s lab go next. Is it
where you think you want to go?
• Which of your mentors will help with developing your
career
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Doing research (generating ideas, experiments, analysis)
Writing
Speaking
Where to look for a job
Alternative career choices
• PI, Collaborators, Colleagues
Expectations about Time
• How much time will you need from your PI, now and
later, and is it likely you will get it.
– How often do you want/need supervision or direction?
– Is the PI likely to provide that
– Are there additional mentors in the lab (and outside it) where I
can get the direction/supervision I need
• How much of my time does the lab need?
– How does that fit with other demands on my time
– How does it fit with my personal life
– How do you balance those demands
• Pay Off
– Publications
– Good next position
Expectations about Trust and
Respect
• Trust and respect are usually earned
rather than given
• Communicate what you are doing
– Be a careful with your work
– Come up with your own analysis of your
results rather than just presenting data
– Think of different/alternative approaches
– If you must be out of the lab for some reason
be sure and tell your PI
Money
• The most stable sources of money are
fellowships
• Postdocs cannot submit research grants at
BCM, but you can participate with your PI
in writing theirs
Potential downstream pitfalls
• Changing labs
– When the mentor/postdoc relationship fails
– Finding a new PI
What to expect of your other
mentors
• Recommendation Letters
• Need to network with other faculty so that
multiple people can describe your
qualifications
• Help with career advice
– Provides multiple views and advice