Karena Nguyen, Ph.D.
Assistant Director of Postdoctoral Services
Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Education | Georgia Institute of Technology
Mentoring as Training, Guiding, and Advocating
My Mentors
Who I am today is because of a network of mentors who have trained, guided, and advocated for me at every level of higher education.
As an undergraduate at Saint Louis University, I had the opportunity to work in two different research labs. My love of biology grew from asking questions, performing experiments, and presenting my findings. Not knowing that graduate school was an option, I thought my foray into science would be short-lived. Luckily, Dr. Gerardo Camilo saw my potential, guided me through the graduate application and interview process, and took me to a conference (see photo on the left).
I then completed my Ph.D. at the University of South Florida, where I was co-advised by Dr. Jody Harwood and Dr. Jason Rohr. There, I developed my skills as an environmental microbiologist and disease ecologist. After graduation, I accepted a postdoctoral position at Emory University with the Fellowships in Research and Teaching (FIRST) Program. My research was co-advised by Dr. David Civitello and Dr. Karen Levy and my teaching was co-advised by Dr. Ethell Vereen and Dr. Larry Blumer.
These mentors played a pivotal role in shaping who I am today, and I aspire to do the same for future scientists.
My Mentoring Philosophy
I view my primary role as one person in your network of mentors. I therefore agree to:
-
Provide you, my mentee, with guidance in areas relating to research, teaching, professional development, and personal growth;
-
Connect you with individuals who have expertise in topics I am unfamiliar;
-
Cultivate a learning environment that is suited to your individual needs to support personal and professional growth;
-
Ensure that you have sufficient opportunities to acquire the skills necessary to become proficient in your research project;
-
Make myself available to meet regularly at a frequency that works for you;
-
Provide you with regular feedback on your progress and performance; and
-
Advocate for your continued success through letters of recommendation, informal networking, etc.
​
As you embark on your own academic journey, my goal is to create a long-lasting mentor-mentee relationship that in built on mutual trust and respect. I also want to empower you to create your own peer networks (such as the one I have!; see photo on the right of my FIRST cohort).
To learn more about my approach to mentoring, view an example of my Mentoring Agreement and Undergraduate Research Agreement. I look forward to becoming your mentor!
