Mentoring

I consider the opportunity to work with trainees a privilege and something that should not be taken for granted. Therefore, I am deeply committed to helping you grow as a scientist and professional so you can achieve your goals. My philosophy is that you are here to better yourself and my job is to facilitate that by making sure my laboratory environment provides everything you need. I have extensive training in mentoring strategies, have mentored dozens of students, and understand that one mentoring plan does not fit all. With that said, we are all constantly learning and growing, and I will make mistakes, but I promise to learn from them. I will also help you prepare for research presentations, job interviews, and will connect you with my extensive network of professionals in all areas.

Each trainee regardless of stage will work closely with me to develop a mentoring compact (undergraduate, masters, and doctoral students) and an individual development plan (doctoral students). This will allow us to create a structure that will help us stay on track with our semester and yearly goals. You are expected to work with me to revise these mentoring documents to fit you as you continue to grow (every semester for the mentoring compact and yearly for the IDP). I also expect you to take ownership of your experience and voice any needs or expectations that I am not meeting. This is a fantastic guide on making the most out of a mentor/mentee relationship.

It is also important to acknowledge that no mentor is the perfect mentor. You should surround yourself with a team of mentors that will support you throughout your career. To learn more about the different mentoring types, read this fantastic article. I will also do my best to connect you with potential mentors, collaborators, and colleagues.

Lastly, I am a strong believer that what you do outside of the lab is as important as what you do at your bench. While I will provide career development training in my lab, there are many areas that I am unable to cover. Therefore, I encourage all trainees to pursue career development opportunities in a wide range of areas. Ideally, we will attend these as a lab whenever possible.

Graduate Students

The Romo Lab is located in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and participates in the following graduate programs:

Molecular Microbiology and Immunology (MMI) Doctoral Program

Biology M.S. Degree Program

Students apply directly to individual programs and not specific labs. During the first year, doctoral students in the MMI program rotate through four labs in the Department before making their decision on which lab to join.

Here are a few things to consider:

1. If you are interested in a specific lab, maintain communication with that PI throughout your rotations.

2. Pay attention to lab dynamics, mentoring style, available projects, productivity, and alignment of values. Talk to lab members about being part of that lab, support from the mentor, etc.

3. Assess your needs as a trainee and future professional. Will you be able to get the training you would need and accomplish your goals?

4. Talk to the PI about your goals and needs. Make sure to discuss financial support if you were to join that lab.

The Romo lab recently joined the MMI Department (Fall of 2022) and is accepting students for rotations.

Graduate students will have the opportunity to embark on projects involving murine models of gastrointestinal infection, differentiated human epithelium models, polymicrobial biofilms and more! Refer to the Research page for a list and description of research areas of interest. Graduate students will receive personalized high-impact mentoring, professional development opportunities, and career trajectory advice.

Each member of the Romo lab will undergo a detailed lab on-boarding process and will develop both a mentoring compact and IDP with the support of Dr. Romo.

Resources for graduate students:

UTSA Graduate School

Choosing a lab for PhD training

Choosing and joining a lab (Harvard)

Undergraduates

While the Romo lab participates in the Bachelor's of Science Degree in Microbiology and Immunology program, we welcome undergraduate students from any related program.

Undergraduates will be exposed to a variety of basic microbiological and cell culturing techniques, microscopy, polymicrobial biofilms, drug screening, and microbiota analyses. Moreover, undergraduates, just like all members of the Romo lab, will receive personalized mentoring, professional development opportunities, and career trajectory advice.

Spots for undergraduates are limited. Please contact Dr. Romo for availability.

Resources for undergraduate students:

Office of undergraduate research (UTSA)

Tips for your first undergraduate research experience (ASBMB)

A student's guide to undergraduate research (Nature)

5 tips to get the most out of four years of undergrad research (UT Austin)

Postdoctoral Scholars

Please email Dr. Jesús A. Romo with inquiries regarding postdoctoral opportunities in the Romo Lab.

Other Potential Members

We welcome community college students, foreign exchange students, interns, international students, post-bac researchers, and high school students. Please send me an email to discuss available options and arrangements.

For more information about available programs and support, please visit the following UTSA websites

Office of Undergraduate Research 

Education Abroad

International Student Aid Options