Mentoring students in independent research is extremely rewarding. These students want to be here and are out for the experience. I would highly recommend this to other faculty and instructors. Devin Drown, Associate Professor |  Department of Biology and Wildlife | 2021-2022 Mentor Award Recipient

I would recommend mentoring undergraduates to my peers. I think it is extremely important for undergraduates to get some experience with taking on a research project from start to finish, especially if they are considering going on to graduate school. These are very formative times in their lives and getting useful and potentially career-setting experience at this stage is essential. I was able to get research experience in my undergraduate degree which opened the door to graduate school. I now have a Ph.D. and I am a professor at CFOS. Without this experience that jumpstarted my interest in zooplankton, I would not be here today. I want to give this same opportunity to the next generation of scientists.  Jennifer Questal, Research Assistant Professor | Department of Oceanography | 2021-2022 Mentor Award Recipient

I would recommend mentoring undergraduate students to my peers. It taught me a lot about how to be confident in a leadership role. I had to learn about my own mentorship style and how to effectively communicate and work with others. It’s also fun to be involved in their education and growth as scientists...The structure of URSA helped me to build positive mentorship relationships.  Jonah Bacon, Graduate Student | Department of Fisheries | 2021-2022 Mentor Award Recipient

I think undergraduates have a lot to offer towards research at UAF. They are excited to transition from coursework and foundational knowledge to doing research. Tapping into that excitement is a great way to move a project forward, all while creating a positive experience for an early career researcher. Ben Barst, Research Assistant Professor | Water and Environmental Research Center, Institute of Northern Engineering  | 2022-2023 Mentor Award Recipient

Investing time and effort into including students in projects you are passionate about may turn out to be the most rewarding part of your project. The URSA mentor award allows ideas to be cultivated with students in a way that promotes learning and deeper exploration for both the mentor and the student. I believe it is valuable for the student to see how the mentor approaches solving real-time problems and to observe that mentors also face struggles when working toward goals. I see that this longer, focused period of study on a single project can show students that they are capable of more than they know. Sasha Bitzer, Assistant Professor of Printmaking & Painting | Department of Art | 2023-2024 Mentor Award Recipient

I had a lot of hesitation in feeling like, as a graduate student, I wasn’t equipped to be a mentor. I finally started to realize that your mentee doesn’t expect you to know everything. In fact, being able to work through things when you don’t know the answer is a great skill to demonstrate, and can make science seem a little less daunting.  Lauren Wilson, Graduate Student | Department of Geosciences | 2023-2024 Mentor Award Recipient

URSA has an amazing program that allows a level of creativity and innovation that has helped us build levels of vision and musical opportunity for our students. Programs offered by URSA have allowed us to experiment with different methods of teaching and performance. We have learned to become very innovative and creative with the support from this program. We as a department, have learned what works and what does not work when it comes to our field because of this opportunity from URSA.  Jaunelle Celaire, Professor of Voice, Music Department Chair, Conductor of the Choir of the North | Department of Music | 2023-2024 Mentor Award Recipient