Research Mentoring at the SEIT
The Research Mentoring Scheme is a new initiative at the School of Engineering and IT that is closely aligned with the School's and University's strategic goals of developing research excellence. Being one of the research intensive schools at the UNSW@ADFA, the School of Engineering and IT makes a dedicated effort to maintain and further develop its dynamic research profile, and ensure continuity of the School's tradition of research excellence.
The Research Mentoring Scheme's primary objective is to bring together more experienced researchers who had previous successes in grant applications and those researchers in the School who wish to improve their research competitiveness, with the aim to increase their chances for a success in annual external grant and industry funding application rounds. The scheme is mainly aimed at junior and mid-career academics and postdoctoral researchers in the School, however, everybody who feel they may benefit from this scheme are welcome to participate.
The scheme involves a combination of workshops and individual mentoring. A number of academics in the school who have been successful in winning competitive research funding from the ARC, DSTO and industry have volunteered to act as mentors
- Prof H. Abbass
- Dr M. Garratt
- A/Prof C. Harb
- Prof J. Hu
- A/Prof O. Kayali
- A/Prof H. Kleine
- Prof J. Lai
- A/Prof R. Lo
- A/Prof V. Ougrinovski
- Prof. I. R. Petersen
- A/Prof T. Pham
- A/Prof M. Pickering
- A/Prof H. R. Pota
- A/Prof R. Sarker
To participate in this scheme (as a mentee or a mentor), please contact A/Prof V. Ougrinovski. It is expected that each participant will choose to be mentored by one or two mentors, however the mentors will have discretion to choose who they will assist (based on their workload, field of expertise, etc.).
The main focus of the scheme is on providing assistance to the researchers in the School in their developing long-term strategies towards building a nationally and internationally competitive research profile. Hence the emphasis of the mentor-mentee relationship will be on a long-term planning of research milestones and actions to achieve those milestones. This may include assisting the mentee with developing plans and strategies for
- improving the spectrum of research strategies;
- shaping future research interests;
- developing publication strategies geared towards publishing in high profile journals;
- strengthening the research profile and expanding the research network of collaborators;
- engaging with the industry; etc.
As part of this process, mentors may also provide advise on research and collaboration opportunities and provide feedback on draft grant applications.
There is no suggested format for the relationship between the mentees and their mentors. It is expected that the most likely form of assistance will be through informal face-to-face discussions, email exchanges, and feedback provided by the mentor to the mentee, on the `as required' basis, ideally once per semester. In addition, the School plans to organise, jointly with the UNSW Research Strategy Office and the UNSW@ADFA Research and Research Training Office, occasional professional development workshops in support of the overall objective of the Scheme.
The School sees the Research Mentoring Scheme as part of the grand professional development process conducted by the University. The mentees who are members of academic staff are encouraged to prepare a progress report, agreed with the mentor, and make it available to the Head of School as part of their annual performance review.
Further details on this scheme such as the information about coming workshops will be posted to the SEIT Wiki and will be available via the School newsletter.