Since we are virtual again this year we created a way to digitize some of that organic mentoring magic that happens at every conference through the virtual Digital Data Mentorship Program.
This program pairs biodiversity professionals as mentors with emerging professionals and students as mentees and helps them to arrange a time to speak informally about research, academia, careers, and beyond! This year we are encouraging for mentors/mentees to meet before AND after the conference, but it is altimately up to the mentor/mentee pairs to decide works best for them.
How Does this Work?
We will send out surveys to collect information about interests to match mentors with mentees together. Mentors and mentees are then introduced through email and the mentors/mentees agree apon the best time to meet virtually. During the conference we are also hosting daily virtual check-ins so participants can have space to ask questions about the conference and/or chat informally with other participants. We are also hosting a social hour during the conference through Kumospace so that all the mentors and mentees can get extra time to network and socialize! Nothing beats in-person meetings for connecting but we are hoping by offering these multiple channels for interaction we can capture just a little of that networking magic!
If you are interested in serving as a mentor or participating as a mentee please select these options in the Digital Data Registration. If you have already registered but would still like to sign up please email Molly Phillips at mphillips@flmnh.ufl.edu.
Virtual Mentoring Schedule
Pre Conference
- May 16: 1:30pm ET Mentor orientation webinar
- Register here:
- May 17-20: Office hours for mentors and mentees at 1pm ET https://ufl.zoom.us/my/idigbio.eodi
- May 18-21 Pre-conference mentoring (date/time chosen by mentors/mentees, zoom link provided by mentor)
During Conference (May 23-25)
- May 23-25 at 12pm ET Daily check-in will be happening on Kumospace in the Mentoring/Social room during the conference. Come ask questions, or just say hi!
- We will also be in the Mentoring/Social Kumospace room during all of the conference social Kumospace times. Find these times on the conference agenda.
Post Conference
- May 26-28 After conference mentoring (date/time chosen by mentors/mentees, zoom link provided by mentor)
- Evaluation (digital survey)
Find general Digital Data Conference information here: https://www.idigbio.org/wiki/index.php/6th_Annual_Digital_Data_Conferenc...
