Finding A Faculty Mentor

Where to Start

  • Begin to identify a faculty mentor soon after your proposed concentration is approved (after completing BIS 300).
  • Consider professors that teach courses you have taken or plan to take for your concentration. **An approved contract must be in place before the student takes BIS 390.**
    • Research possible faculty mentors in a department via a library search for publications (books, journal articles, special projects, etc.) concerning a particular area of interest (our library has reference librarians on staff that can assist you in finding these publications).
    • Most departments/programs across campus have designated a BIS Liaison. After all other routes have been exhausted, the Liaison is the point of contact for a BIS student needing assistance identifying a faculty mentor in a specific department.
  • Direct prospective faculty mentors to our website to the link below to learn about  the roles, responsibilities and rewards of participating as a BIS faculty mentor.

BIS Liaisons

Send an e-mail to the appropriate BIS Liaison (see list below) requesting an appointment to meet and discuss potential faculty mentors. Include a cover letter and send it as an email attachment to the BIS Liaison. Keep the letter short, but tell the liaison who you are and what you are interested in studying.

  • Proposed concentration or list of possible courses to be included in BIS Educational Contract
  • Unofficial Transcript or Degree Progress Report
  • Resume

Student Responsibilities

When working with an mentor, it is the student's responsibility to obtain and provide the mentor with all appropriate paperwork.

  • Copy of the student's core concentration proposal
  • Educational contract
  • Amendment form whenever concentration changes are proposed
  • Proposal draft for the BIS 490 project
  • Proposal draft and registration permission form for BIS 489, if applicable

Nominate Your Faculty Mentor

Students who feel their faculty mentor went above in beyond in supporting them and their research are encouraged to nominate him/her for an Outstanding BIS Faculty Award. This award is given out once a year and is presented at the Spring BIS Graduation Reception along with the Student Project Award winners.  Students that wish to nominate their faculty mentor must fill out the appropriate form and submit a letter of recommendation to the BIS office.

Faculty Mentor Resources for Students

Resources for Research Mentors