Q1 : How do I get started?

A : Click on the Register link at the top of the page and complete the online profile.

Q2 : How long will I be matched with my mentor/mentee?

A : We ask our mentors to make commitments of at least eight months to ensure that the mentee benefits fully from the relationship.

Q3 : What if portions of my profile (e.g., areas for mentoring) have changed since I registered?

A : You can edit your profile at any time. Simply log-in and navigate to your profile, and then click the "edit" button next to the field you want to edit.

Q4 : Who do I contact if I have other questions?

Q5 : Relationship is not going well or I am concerned about membership, what should I do?

Q6 : Can I be both a mentor and a mentee? Can I mentor more than one person?

A : Mentors will be paired with one mentee, however this year we have adapted the program to allow CIRES employees to sign up as both a mentor and a mentee should they choose to do so. To sign up as both a mentor and mentee, the participant will need to register and create two accounts, using two different email addresses. Note the system may "match" these two accounts, so the registrant will obviously need select a mentor that is actually a different person.

Q7 : Are graduate students eligible to take part in the program?

Q8 : Does the mentoring program provide training for its mentors and mentees?

A : We typically hold 2-3 training sessions per year for participants in the program - we'll keep you updated! In the meantime, we direct participants to our CIRES mentoring resources page and encourage them to participate in training offered by the CIRES diversity and inclusion team and by CU Boulder. For this program, we ask that mentors draw upon their professional experience to share insight and knowledge gained throughout their career with their mentee.

Q9 : Can employees at DSRC mentor someone on main campus and visa versa?

A : Absolutely! One of the aims of this program is to foster community and networking across all of CIRES.

Q10 : Who is eligible for the CIRES mentoring program?

A : All CIRES employees are welcome to participate in the CIRES mentoring program. We welcome all levels (early, mid, late career stages, postdocs too) and career paths (Administrative, Research, Associate career tracks, etc).

Q11 : Are Federal employees at DSRC eligible for the program?

A : Federal employees at DSRC are encouraged to sign up as mentors for this program, however only CIRES employees are eligible to sign up as a mentee.

Q12 : How do I choose a mentor?

A : During the registration process, the website will generate a table of recommendations based on the area(s) of mentorship a mentee is seeking guidance in. However, it is important to remember that CIRES has many different career tracks (e.g. Research Scientist, Associate Scientist, Administrative Associate, Post-Baccalaureate, Post-Doctoral, Visiting Scientists/Fellows, Senior Managers) and is a large organization that is comprised of nine divisions spread over three campuses. Both the mentor and mentee should consider these factors when selecting and agreeing on a mentorship pair.

Q13 : What are a mentor's obligations for reporting harassment? Are Mentors considered mandatory reporters?