Mentor Training Opportunities for the Academic Year 2026 to 2027
Participation in the following training programs will fulfill your requirement as a T32 mentor to have had formal mentor training in the last three years. Please send your proof of completion to Ashley.Bertran@osumc.edu.
Register for Better Research through Better Mentoring Workshops
OSMI offers 8 different Better Research through Better Mentoring workshop modules that are designed to support faculty in strengthening their mentoring relationships. OSMI will offer all 8 modules this semester, based on curricula developed by the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, with two modules being covered per workshop. Mentors who attend workshops may request documentation for grant applications or other purposes. Mentors who complete all 8 modules will receive a mentoring certificate of completion from the Graduate School. Please see the autumn workshop schedule below:
Aligning Expectations and Maintaining Effective Communication
Wed., Sept., 23 | 10:00 am - 12:00 pm | 350 A/B 18th Ave. Library (Research Commons) | Register here
Fostering Independence and Assessing Understanding
Tues., Oct., 27 | 1:00 - 3:00 pm | University Hall 250Q Seminar Space | Register here
Promoting Professional Development and Articulating Your Mentoring Philosophy and Plan
Thurs., Nov., 12 | 10:00 am - 12:00 pm | University Hall 250Q Seminar Space | Register here
Mentoring for All and Fostering Wellbeing
Tues., Dec., 1 | 10:00 am - 12:00 pm | University Hall 250Q Seminar Space | Register here
You may find our early spring semester workshop dates and other resources at our newly re-designed OSMI website.
Ohio State Mentoring Initiative
Active workshop sessions are listed, as well as a link to request a Mentoring Workshop.
Online Courses with University of Minnesota
Develop your research mentoring skills through self-paced, online courses. Courses are available at no charge to people affiliated with the University of Minnesota and to external users who create a guest account with the University.
Optimizing the Practice of Mentoring (OPM) 101: For Research Mentors of Graduate Students, Fellows, and Early-Career Faculty
- Defines different types of mentoring models that are applied in research settings.
- Summarizes the roles and responsibilities of research mentors.
- Outlines steps for navigating the core phases of a mentoring relationship.
- Offers strategies for supporting mentees' intellectual, professional, and psychosocial development.
- Includes online activities designed to help address specific mentoring challenges.
Note: If you registered for this module before the updated version launched on August 19, 2019, you’ll need to re-register using the new system.
Optimizing the Practice of Mentoring 102: For Research Mentors of Undergraduate Students
- Adaptation of Optimizing the Practice of Mentoring 101.
- Features content and activities specific to mentors working with undergraduate research trainees.
Enhancing Motivation Using the CARES Mentoring Model
- Describes a theoretically driven approach to mentoring that focuses on attending to the core psychological needs that enhance a mentee’s motivation.
- Covers basic motivation concepts and their well-researched impact on mentees' satisfaction, performance, and persistence in educational and professional settings.
- Guides learners on strategies for putting the model’s principles into action with their mentees.