Faculty Mentors
All fellows have at least two mentors from complementary disciplines, and in addition fellows interact regularly with the Program Directors. Fellows have the opportunity to work with faculty members whose research represents a wide spectrum of research populations, methods, and theories (a table of mentor research interests and current research projects is available). Mentoring is taken seriously in the Center, and the Program has formalized expectations of pre-doc and post-doc mentors. Good mentoring is modeled by senior investigators and is practiced at all levels.
The Committee on the Status of Women at the Health Science Center honors one faculty member each year for outstanding mentoring of women. Three faculty members from the Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research or from the Dell Center for Advancement of Healthy Living have received this award: Drs. Sally W. Vernon (2002), Susan Tortolero (2000), and Nancy Murray (2004), and several others have been nominated.
Non-faculty staff also play an important role in mentoring fellows on the nuts and bolts of research. The Committee on the Status of Women selects one individual, annually, in this category. CHPPR and Dell Center Associate Director for Administration Ms. Sue Sifford was honored in 2003 for making a significant impact on the lives of faculty and staff. Her practical knowledge of a wide range of funding resources and mechanisms has helped us all write our budgets and budget justifications, negotiate awards, and administer our budgets effectively. Ms. Lyan Ha, Grants and Contracts Specialist, won her award in 1996 while working in another UTHSC-H school, but her competence in advising on budgets and strong personal qualities have made her a continuing asset to faculty and fellows. As a teenager, Lyan endured life in a refugee camp, survived the long trip to America, kept house for her brother and nephew while attending high school, and learned English. None of this was easy, but that didn't deter Lyan from striving to excel. Her letter of nomination describes her as "an inspiration to others demonstrating that no barrier is insurmountable."
