MENTORSHIP PHILOSPHY
My personal and professional experiences motivate my commitment to serve as a mentor and role model to students enrolled in my classes and working in my lab. I strive to create inclusionary learning environments, making all individuals feel that their contributions and perspectives are equally valued and respected. I foster a growth mindset in which students learn to recognize that scientific knowledge and research expertise are not innate and can be developed, with the goal to increase self-confidence, sense of belonging, and science identity. In both the classroom and the laboratory, I mentor students to overcome the prevailing societal taboo against failure, by demonstrating to them that in science, research progress and attainment are achieved through a process of experimentation, failure, and adaptation. I value helping mentees explore the diverse scientific career options that their education can provide, leveraging both their strengths and passions, to ultimately identify the set of skills they need to develop. As a research mentor, I am committed to providing mentees with customized support according to their individual needs and career goals, offering supported technical and professional training and experiences that equip them with the necessary skills to become leaders in the biological sciences and agricultural industry.