How do UW–Madison faculty and staff become more effective mentors to their research trainees? One way is by participating in Advancing Research Mentoring Practice (ARMP) training, which uses the evidence-based Entering Mentoring curriculum.

Facilitators like Cara Jenkins make these trainings possible. All facilitators are experienced mentors who have completed our Entering Mentoring Facilitator Training—and each one brings a unique perspective to the role. We asked Dr. Jenkins about her background and experience as an ARMP facilitator.

Tell us about your role and the work you do at UW–Madison.
I am the coordinator of the Chemistry–Biology Interface training program in the Chemistry department. Our program is NIH-funded and engages with students across a variety of departments who are interested in research that blends chemistry and biology approaches to understanding the world.

Tell us a little about yourself.
I earned my Ph.D in Chemistry in 2004, and have been in my current position since 2017. I enjoy working with graduate students and faculty, and am excited about the range of cool science that I get to learn about as our students learn to present their research. Outside of work, I enjoy gardening, quilting, and hanging out with friends and family.

How long have you been a mentor? How did you first get started?
My first experience as a mentor came during my graduate studies, where I mentored younger graduate students and undergraduates. In my current position I serve as an informal mentor for our graduate students, where I help them think about their research, build their science communication skills, and explore possible career paths.

Tell us about a mentoring success OR a memorable mentoring experience.
The most memorable mentoring experiences I have had are when students come to me for a regularly scheduled meeting and end up opening up about things they are struggling with. That connection is meaningful, and I hope I am helpful for the students in working through their struggles.

How long have you been facilitating ARMP?
I began facilitating ARMP workshops in 2020.

How do you apply the skills and knowledge from ARMP into your mentoring practice?
I am constantly thinking about good communication with students and faculty, and I am always looking for ways to help members of our program connect with one another to form a strong and supportive community.

What do you enjoy most about facilitating ARMP?
I enjoy the discussion that comes from asking interesting, open-ended questions.

What do you consider to be the biggest benefits of participating in ARMP?
The biggest benefits are twofold: 1) a chance to really think through your mentoring philosophy and approaches to mentoring challenges, and 2) connections with a small group of other mentors who are also interested in improving their mentoring practices.

Learn more about ARMP and how you can get involved.