Trenesha Hill, Ph.D., wanted to ensure that she and her mentees weren’t talking past each other, so she signed up for TRI’s “Entering Mentoring” workshop, which uses an evidence-based approach developed by the University of Wisconsin’s Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER).
“I attended to enhance my mentoring practices and make a positive impact on my mentees’ development,” said Hill, an assistant professor in the College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, Division of Psychology. “The practical tools, like communication‑style assessments and personalized mentorship contracts, will help me set clear expectations.”
Held in April, the workshop drew 16 faculty from across UAMS and was led by five CIMER-certified UAMS facilitators:
- Antiño Allen, Ph.D., professor, College of Pharmacy and TRI associate director of Pathway Initiatives
- Jennifer Vincenzo, Ph.D., MPH, PT, associate professor, College of Health Professions
- Corey Hayes, Pharm.D., Ph.D., MPH, associate professor, College of Pharmacy
- Ellen van der Plas, Ph.D., associate professor, College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics
- Tuhin Virmani, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor, College of Medicine Department of Neurology
Participants engaged in modules on building trust, effective communication, aligning expectations, goal setting, progress monitoring and navigating challenges, all grounded in CIMER’s evidence‑based, interactive mentor training curriculum.
Van der Plas was invited to facilitate after demonstrating her enthusiasm and skill in prior trainings. “CIMER engages participants rather than lecturing about best practices,” she said. “It encourages conversations about mentoring and adapting the tools provided. Mentorship has been invaluable in my career, teaching skills, modeling behaviors, and advocating for me, and I aim to pay that forward.”
Hayes highlighted the workshop’s lasting influence: “Mentoring is the role we play in academia that has the most long‑lasting effect. Using collaboration and real‑world vignettes makes CIMER tangible and easily implemented in daily mentoring activities. I hope participants walk away with tools they can use every day with their mentees.”
For Gunnar Boysen, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, the workshop filled a crucial gap. “Mentorship, leadership and communication training weren’t part of my Ph.D. curriculum in chemistry,” he said. “CIMER was the perfect opportunity to beef up on these skills. In the end, I realized I need to be a better listener and to build my own mentoring team.”
As lead facilitator, Allen emphasized how the CIMER training can greatly improve mentoring practices.
“This evidence-based curriculum provides mentors with tools to build trust, align expectations and communicate clearly, which ultimately strengthens relationships and helps accelerate research translation,” he said.