Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research
This story originally appeared on the Wisconsin Center for Education Research. The Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER), a center within the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s School of Education, has received the 2026 Margo Murray Award for Excellent Results in Mentoring at the Societal …
This 8-month program provides lab heads with the deep learning needed to navigate mentorship relationships during times of complexity. We still have space to add a few more folks to our 2026 cohort– if interested, apply by Nov. 14, 2026. Please note that scholarships are available to cover the cost of the program.
The CIMER team has been busy. We’re excited to share several recent publications. New publication from Janet Branchaw and Christine Pfund: Building Strong Mentorship Ecosystems to Support Positive URE Student Outcomes (September 2025) The comprehensive researcher development framework (CRDF): Core learning outcomes for research training (September 2025) Download and read the commentary by our colleagues …
CIMER is delighted to announce the publication of Utilizing Mentorship Education to Promote a Culturally Responsive Research Training Environment in the Biomedical Sciences featuring CIMER’s Angela Byars-Winston, Fátima Sancheznieto, and Christine Pfund. Read the full article online.
Episode 4 of NAE’s Diversity Dialogues podcast is out now! This episode explores how building mentorship into academic and professional systems can increase equity in engineering. Listen online. NAE member and host Wanda Sigur speaks with Angela Byars-Winston and NAE member Percy Pierre about their mentoring experiences, and how to encourage mentors and mentees alike in engineering.
We are delighted to announce the publication of an article titled “A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Intervention to Increase Cultural Diversity Awareness of Research Mentors of Undergraduate Students.” The article sheds light on the significance of providing mentors with training in cultural awareness and sensitivity to enhance the mentoring experience for young scientists. By …
Listen to CIMER’s Dr. Christine Pfund on Nii Addy’s latest podcast episode on thriving or burnout in mentoring and more. You can listen or watch on @AddyHour on YouTube or at AddyHour.com.
WCER scientist and CIMER Associate Executive Director Melissa McDaniels helped design and deliver a two-day workshop in Washington, D.C. aimed at helping the nation’s research universities and associated stakeholders understand how to better implement, incentivize and create accountability structures in doctoral education programs nationwide. Read more about Melissa’s efforts
CIMER is keeping busy with all of these new publications. The latest, published on Sept. 16, 2022, in CBE – Life Sciences Education, investigates whether the training modality affects mentor training outcomes. Read the full journal article in CBE – Life Sciences.
CIMER is hard at work! An article came out last month in collaboration with Christine Pfund about mentoring burnout. Summary: Mentoring is undoubtedly a high-impact and high-stakes relationship. Mentors give their time, attention, and resources to develop others. Usually a volunteer activity, mentorship goes above and beyond a person’s formal job requirements. But when a …