3rd Annual STEMM Mentorship Symposium

2027 Tentative Agenda

Friday, January 15, 2027 | SUNY Global Center | 116 E 55th St, New York, NY, 10022

9 AM Registration and Breakfast 

9:30 AM Welcome and Introductions 

9:45 AM Keynote Address, Cynthia Fuhrmann, PhD, UMass Chan Medical School (invited) 

10:45 AM Coffee Break 

11:00 AM Plenary Session I - What's Working? Institutional Approaches to Mentorship and Career Development

Format: Institutional Lightning Talks and Moderated Discussion

This session will showcase innovative approaches to mentorship and career development being developed, implemented, or evaluated across local institutions.

The objective is to move beyond descriptions of mentorship programming to examine how institutions are addressing identified challenges, implementing interventions, assessing outcomes, and identifying opportunities for improvement.

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM Lunch

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Speed Mentoring/CV review

Building on the success of previous symposia, trainees and early-career researchers will have opportunities to meet individually with faculty mentors, career development specialists, and professionals from participating institutions.

Potential consultation topics include:

•    CV and resume review

•     Career exploration inside and outside academia

•     Navigating career transitions

•     Developing mentorship networks

•     Professional development and individualized career planning

15 minute slots will be allocated per consultation, depending on available space and registration.

1:45 PM Concurrent Sessions

Track A — Faculty Mentors and Institutional Leaders

TBA

Track B — Trainees and Early-Career Researchers

Mentoring Up and Effective Communication

Facilitator: Fátima Sancheznieto, PhD

This interactive workshop will equip trainees with strategies to proactively manage their mentorship relationships through mentoring up.

Participants will examine practical approaches to communicating expectations, seeking feedback, navigating challenging conversations, and making the most of their relationships with research mentors.

The session will emphasize the importance of mentorship agency and the role trainees can play in shaping effective mentoring relationships.

3 PM Plenary Session II - From Evidence to Action: Advancing Mentorship Across Institutions

Format: Facilitated Cross-Institutional Working Session

This interactive plenary will bring participants together to translate the day's insights into practical strategies for strengthening mentorship programs, institutional practices, and scientific career development.

Building on the keynote, institutional lightning presentations, and concurrent workshops, participants will work in small groups to identify common challenges, promising solutions, and opportunities for cross-institutional collaboration.

Groups will intentionally include representatives from multiple institutions and professional roles.

Structure:

·   10 minutes — Opening synthesis of the day's major themes

·   25 minutes — Facilitated small-group discussions

·   20 minutes — Group reports and collective discussion

·   5 minutes — Identification of shared priorities and next steps

Roundtable Themes

Theme 1: Evidence and Evaluation

How can institutions better evaluate the effectiveness of mentorship interventions? What outcomes should be measured, and what evidence is needed to inform future practice?

Theme 2: Implementation and Sustainability

What institutional structures, faculty incentives, policies, and resources are necessary to implement and sustain effective mentorship programs?

Theme 3: Collaboration and Future Directions

How can NYC institutions collaborate to strengthen mentorship training, share resources, evaluate interventions, and support researchers across their career trajectories?

4 PM Closing Reflections and Next Steps - Meeting adjourned 

4:15 PM SPNSOR Program Meet and Greet