CTSC Mentoring Program for Community Engaged Researchers

Purpose

Mentoring is a key component to the successful development of all academic investigators.
While there are numerous mentorship and professional development programs abound across
the many institutions in Northeast Ohio, none focus exclusively on the challenges associated
with community engaged research such as fostering extensive and mutually beneficial
partnerships with community members and community-serving organizations. Additionally, pilot
grant funding initiatives are more likely to benefit awardees when additional supports such as
mentorship are included with the funding. Building on successes of the Center for Health Equity,
Engagement, Education and Research’s (CHEEER) community engaged research pilot grant
program, Community-Based Research Network, and over 20 years of research mentorship, this
program will work with early-stage investigators (ESI) and/or those new to community engaged
research to amplify their skills in conducting this important research. This program will
meaningfully increase the number of proficient investigators in this important and growing sector
of translational science. This program will align with a National Center for Advancing
Translational Sciences (NCATS) CTSA national initiative, CTSA Community of Practice —
Advancing the Science of Mentorship. We will collaborate and pull from the resources and
models being developed nationally to pilot and build a more evidence based and impactful
research mentoring network.

Program Description

Mentees will be matched with a mentor based on aligned interests, career goals, and
personality traits. The program will begin with a mentor/mentee orientation in September to
outline expectations and facilitate the first in person interaction of the cohort. Mentees and
mentors will be expected to meet at least monthly to discuss project progress, future plans,
challenges, and approaches to resolve the challenges. Mentees will be assigned to small
groups with other mentees to meet every other month to discuss common challenges and
potential solutions. At mid-academic year, mentees and mentors will convene to discuss
projects with one another and brainstorm successful strategies to improving the mentored
relationships. An invited speaker will discuss additional approaches to mentoring. Mentees will
attend monthly Community Based Research Network meetings to learn about community
engaged projects planned or currently underway and to share their project ideas for feedback
from a diverse group of community partners. The program will conclude in May with a mentee
graduation and recognition of the mentors.

Eligibility & Benefits

Mentees:

• Must be a principal investigator or multiple-principal investigator of a CTSC
  research award (pilot award, research project award, voucher awardee)
• Must be interested and willing to participate in the outlined activities and grow as a community engaged researcher
• Will receive individual and team-based mentorship around community engaged research
• Will become part of a community of practice invested in nurturing authentic partnerships with community members to create more impactful research
• Will receive career development tools and resources

Mentors:

• Must be faculty member with experience in community engaged research,
  community-based participatory research, or community action research
• Must be interested and willing to participate in all activities, to help mentee to
  grow and develop as a community engaged researcher
•  Estimated time commitment is 1-2 hours per month
• Option to receive formal mentorship coaching
• Provided resources from national CTSA around effective mentoring
• Will help lay the foundation for the next generation of community engaged
  researchers

Key Dates
Application Deadline: September 6, 2024
Mentorship Pairings: September 2024
Orientation: September 20, 2024
Mid Program Summit: January/February 2025
Graduation: May 2025
**Mentees and mentors will be chosen based on capacity and interest.