Mentor and Mentee Resources

BMCDB Mentoring at a Glance

BMCDB faculty mentors and student mentees are expected to follow the UC Davis Graduate Studies Mentoring Guidelines. Faculty who do not comply with these guidelines will have their membership in BMCDB subject to immediate review. 

As of April 2024, BMCDB requires all first-year students and their PIs to complete a Mentor-Mentee Plan. The goal of this plan is for the student and PI to establish expectations of professional, supportive mentorship; to this end, students are required to submit this Mentor-Mentee Plan when they join a lab. To maintain or reorient alignment of expectations during the mentoring relationship, continuing students and PIs are encouraged to do this as well, on an annual or as-needed basis.

View Graduate Studies' Mentoring Resources

Resources for Mentors (PIs)

UC Davis Graduate Studies provides a variety of resources for mentors. To subscribe to the graduate student mentoring listserv, click here. 

• Of particular relevance to forming a mentor-mentee plan is the section on “Communication and Relationship Building,” which includes links to several tools for aligning expectations: 
  • An assessment of mentoring style, a questionnaire for aligning expectations, tool kits for developing shared expectations, and advice for structuring the mentoring process. 
  • Statements of mentoring philosophy that express the faculty member’s style and lab policies, which are helpful in thinking about what details you may want to discuss when filling out a mentor-mentee plan.  
  • Resources on conflict management in the lab and a conflict styles assessment. 
• The Graduate Mentoring Initiative Program (GMI) is a four-week workshop for faculty by faculty, which covers aligning expectations and other topics. See the GMI website or contact Elizabeth Sturdy, Director of Mentoring and Academic Success Initiatives, with questions.
• Graduate Studies also provides one-on-one virtual professional coaching services for faculty and postdoctoral scholars, which can provide general help with mentoring skills, or help with a specific issue. 
• The Graduate Studies Mentor Resources page also includes a section on Awareness and Support for students with resources ranging from mentoring a diverse student population to health and well-being. This includes a comprehensive list of mental health resources, and direct links to the student support referral form, which can be used to report concerns or just to ask for advice. You can also contact the OSSJA office for assistance (530-752-1128 or ossja@ucdavis.edu). Call 911 in an emergency.
• Faculty and staff can utilize the Academic and Staff Assistance Program for their personal and/or professional needs. 

Resources for Students

• Graduate Studies' general resource list can be found here. 
• A group of UC Davis faculty have created a resource page that can be loaded into a Canvas course site or included as a link on a course syllabus or home page. The site is designed to provide information on general academic, health and wellness, career/internship, and community resources for students. 
• If you are in distress and in need of immediate counseling, mental health staff are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by phone at 530-752-2349 (Student Health and Counseling Services) or 530-752-0871 (Aggie Mental Health). 
• Crisis Text Line is free, 24/7, immediate and confidential texting service for those in crisis. Text RELATE to 741741 from anywhere in the U.S. to text with a trained Crisis Counselor.
• You can also visit Aggie Mental Health for more options for crisis and mental health resources.   
• Graduate Studies has an in-house mental health practitioner, Dr. Bai-Yin Chen. To set up an appointment with her, email or use Health e-Messaging. 
• Students can access well-being and health support through Student Health and Counseling Services. SHCS offers mental health urgent care services on the first floor of the Student Health & Wellness Center during hours of operation.
• The Problem and Dispute Resolution page of Graduate Studies' website has resources for you to navigate difficult conversations with your PI about funding, academic performance, interpersonal challenges, and more. 
• If you need advice on dealing with racism, discrimination or another diversity issue, Diversity Officers in Graduate Studies are available to meet with graduate students.
• The Harassment & Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program (HDAPP) is available to receive complaints of harassment or discrimination against anyone affiliated with UC Davis. An overview of the reporting process can be found here; report an incident here. 
• Confidential on-campus resources for reporting discrimination or harassment can be found here. 
• GradPathways is a professional development program funded by UC Davis candidacy fees. 

Conflict Management

• Students are encouraged to contact the BMCDB Graduate Program Coordinator, their Academic Advisor (varies by individual), the BMCDB Chair of Student Affairs and Advising, or Chair of the Graduate Group for advice and possible solutions if problems arise.
• If a student does not feel comfortable with contacting these individuals, or feels the conflict is not adequately resolved, students can contact a Senior Academic Advisor (SAA) in Graduate Studies; BMCDB's designated SAA is Brittney Dinelli, but if they're not available, students can schedule a meeting with Director of Advising Sarah Driver or another SAA. 
• If a graduate student or faculty mentor feel they need additional help with communication or problem-solving, it is recommended that they seek help from the UC Davis Ombuds (ombuds@ucdavis.edu). This is a confidential, independent and informal conflict management resource. They meet separately with the individuals involved, to provide communication strategies and other resources to help prevent conflicts from escalating. They also work with all members of the UC Davis community and thus can be used for problem solving between students or staff as well.