The LTER Synthesis Skills for Early Career Researchers (SSĒCR) course builds cross-generational research connections through mentored synthesis research projects. Whether you are able to devote a few hours or a few days to strengthening the pool of synthesis researchers, we have a way for you to be involved.
Many ways to help:
- Mentor a synthesis research project: mentors will be matched with group research projects based on areas of interest and expertise. Time commitment is expected to be 12-15 hours over the course of the year.
- Share synthesis experience: Each course session begins with a networking/shared experience segment. This is a place to share the hard-earned lessons of your synthesis experience. Time commitment is expected to be at most 2 hours over the course of the year.
- Contribute project seed ideas: Most synthesis project spin off more project ideas than the team will ever carry out. We are creating a library of such ideas to inspire course participants, who may build directly on your contributed ideas or adapt them to their group’s interests.
- Contribute to a course module: If you have particular expertise that is relevant to the course and would like to contribute, the LNO team would love to explore partnering.
- Organize a follow-along section: All course materials will be available online to allow for self-organizing study groups.
- Other: I’m sure we haven’t thought of everything. Tell us how else you’d like to be involved.
FAQs
Can I submit research project ideas if I am unavailable to mentor?
Yes! If you know of others who might be good mentors for your project idea, we’d appreciate getting their names so that we can help arrange mentorship should your topic be chosen.
Can I mentor if I haven’t submitted a research project idea?
Also yes! We hope that many topics will come from students’ own interests as well as the idea bank and there will always be orphan topics contributed by researchers who are not able to mentor a project in the year that it is selected.
Can I recommend a student for the course?
Please share the course application with your students and others who you feel would benefit. Advisors and site PIs will be asked for input regarding applications.
Do I need to develop instructional materials or teach a module in order to contribute?
No. If you have interest in developing or team teaching one (or more) of the course modules we would be happy to discuss that with you further but there is no requirement that you teach or develop modules if you volunteer to serve as a mentor.
SSĒCR Mentor Recruitment
The LTER Synthesis Skills for Early Career Researchers (SSĒCR) course builds cross-generational research connections through mentored synthesis research projects. Whether you are able to devote a few hours or a few days to strengthening the pool of synthesis researchers, we have a way for you to be involved.
