WHAT:

A mentoring program and seminar/workshop series for undergraduate students interested in ecology, evolution, behavior, and related fields at the University of Minnesota.

Some examples of past seminars/workshops:

• Getting involved with campus research

• Grad school 101

• Should you take a gap-year?

• Non-academic Career Panel

WHO:

Undergraduate and graduate students at any stage of their academic career are welcome to participate in Field Guides. We welcome students from any major or degree program. Some sessions will be specifically aimed at certain subsets of students (ex. post-graduate opportunity seminars would be aimed at seniors or soon-to-be graduates).

WHY:

Applying to graduate school, or even finding research opportunities on campus, is not straightforward. Often, students who end up applying have been mentored by faculty or current grad students, and thus have a certain amount of inside information that others may not have. This gatekeeping of knowledge can prevent some qualified candidates from knowing what opportunities exist, let alone how to apply to grad school, fellowships, or summer research. This is especially true for underrepresented groups in STEM, especially Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) students. Thus, we are seeking to even the playing field by holding seminars on common topics that undergraduates may have questions about.

Our main goals:

1. Create a platform to disseminate information on accessing research experiences, applying for fellowships/scholarships, and applying to graduate school from graduate students in EEB to undergraduates in EEB;

2. Connect undergraduate students with graduate student mentors who will help their mentees navigate the beginnings of their science career; and

3. Hold seminars specifically for URMs that are led by graduate students who represent those backgrounds.