The postbac training experience is an exciting time for young scientists to develop the scientific and professional skills necessary to reach the next stage of their career journey. Finding the right mentor to help you grow as a scientist and guide you in navigating important career decisions can help you maximize your fellowship. While every trainee is unique and has different qualities they look for in a mentor, there are a few common attributes that all postbacs need from a postdoc mentor. Open and consistent communication, patience and encouragement when mistakes are made, and a clear investment in the mentee’s career development are all essential elements of good mentoring. We asked postbacs to reflect on their experience being mentored by NIAID postdocs and share their highlights. Here’s what they had to say.
Marc Theberge, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, and Mohammad Abu-Laban, M.S., Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow in the Virus Persistence and Dynamics Section of the Immunology Laboratory.
Marc Theberge (Postbac) & Mohammad Abu-Laban, M.S., Ph.D. (Postdoc Mentor)
Virus Persistence and Dynamics Section, Immunology Laboratory (IL), Vaccine Research Center (VRC)
What is one important thing that you have learned from your postdoc mentor?
“Expect and welcome failure so that you are ready to learn from it.”
Megan Perry, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, and Ankur Bothra, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow in the Microbial Pathogenesis Section of the Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases.
Megan Perry (Postbac) & Ankur Bothra, Ph.D. (Postdoc Mentor)
Microbial Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases (LPD), Division of Intramural Research (DIR)
What is one practice that your postdoc mentor does that helps you succeed in the lab?
“Ankur makes sure I understand not just how to do something, but why I am doing it. As a result of this practice of understanding the "why,” I now have competency in choosing the most appropriate experimental tools to answer a question, confidence that I can learn how to use these tools even if I haven't before, and increased independence in designing and executing my own experiments.”
Armando Arroyo-Mejias, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, and Hiroshi Ichise, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow in the Lymphocyte Biology Section of the Laboratory of Immune System Biology.
Armando Arroyo-Mejias (Postbac/Intramural NIAID Research Opportunities [INRO] Fellow) & Hiroshi Ichise, Ph.D. (Postdoc Mentor)
Lymphocyte Biology Section, Laboratory of Immune System Biology (LISB), Division of Intramural Research (DIR)
What is one practice that your postdoc mentor does that helps you succeed in the lab?
“He sits with me to plan my experiments when they are complex and offers his availability and help to go during the weekends or odd hours if necessary. He sees me as an equal, regardless of my knowledge or position.”
Darwing Padilla Rolon, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, and Joanna Kocot, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow in the Neuroimmunological Diseases Section of the Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology.
Darwing Padilla Rolon (Postbac/Intramural NIAID Research Opportunities [INRO] Fellow) & Joanna Kocot, Ph.D. (Postdoc Mentor)
Neuroimmunological Diseases Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology (LCIM), Division of Intramural Research (DIR)
What is one practice that your postdoc mentor does that helps you succeed in the lab?
“One practice that my postdoc mentor does that helps me succeed in the lab is that she always challenges my scientific thought process by asking lots of questions. For example, we are both collaborating in a very complex project and every time one of us has a result back, we both make questions that lead to new paths in our research question.”
Kelly Hanner, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, and Heather Kudyba, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow in the Molecular Parasitology and Entomology Unit of the Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research.
Kelly Hanner (Postbac) & Heather Kudyba, Ph.D. (Postdoc Mentor)
Molecular Parasitology and Entomology Unit, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research (LMVR), Division of Intramural Research (DIR)
What is one practice that your postdoc mentor does that helps you succeed in the lab?
“One practice my mentor does that helps me succeed is constant reassurance that the post-baccalaureate fellowship is a time of learning and mistakes are just part of the learning process.”
Abigail Wukitch, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, and Andrea Luker, M.S., Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow in the Mast Cell Biology Section of the Laboratory of Allergic Diseases.
Abigail Wukitch (Postbac) & Andrea Luker, M.S., Ph.D. (Postdoc Mentor)
Mast Cell Biology Section, Laboratory of Allergic Diseases (LAD), Division of Intramural Research (DIR)
What is one practice that your postdoc mentor does that helps you succeed in the lab?
“My postdoc is really flexible and encouraging. She emphasizes that I am learning and that I will make mistakes. She also points out that she also makes mistakes. Other than the science I have been learning, my postdoc has helped me in learning how to be confident in asking questions."
Rojin Najmabadi, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, and Sean Mack, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow in the Vaccine Production Program Laboratory.
Rojin Najmabadi (Postbac) & Sean Mack, Ph.D. (Postdoc Mentor)
Vaccine Production Program Laboratory (VPPL), Vaccine Research Center (VRC)
What is one important thing that you have learned from your postdoc mentor?
"How to present and communicate better. Every presentation I have done mostly was with a group of people so it never felt isolating but standing up and saying this is my work was a lot scarier than I thought. Also, there are such wide power dynamics in the office that can be hard to navigate because you end up working with people from different levels. Having someone there to help navigate all this was very helpful.”
Hanna Anhalt, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, and Kyle O'Donnell, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow in the Immunobiology and Molecular Virology Unit of the Laboratory of Virology.
Hanna Anhalt (Postbac) & Kyle O'Donnell, Ph.D. (Postdoc Mentor)
Immunobiology and Molecular Virology Unit, Laboratory of Virology (LV), Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML)
What is one important thing that you have learned from your postdoc mentor?
“He has taught me the importance of a good work-life balance and that it is easy to still do the things you enjoy while being productive in lab.”