Bringing mentors and mentees together

Generally, the IUPS mentoring program drives home three strategic priorities:

  • Enhance local and global collaboration in promoting biomedical, integrative, and translational research in physiological sciences
  • Recognize excellence in research in physiological sciences
  • Inspire the next generation of physiologists across the world

The physiology education mentoring program for early career physiologists in Africa

This new mentoring program with a focus on physiology education was introduced at the inaugural meeting of the East African Society of Physiological Sciences (EASPS) in Tanzania on November 29 – December 01, 2023. The task force for the IUPS Mentoring Program for Early career Physiology Educators in Africa is continuing to make progress. Twenty mentees have been identified and plans are to have each be mentored by senior physiology educators (one from Africa and one from outside of Africa).

This new mentoring program will be an opportunity for early career physiologists in Africa to:

  • Advance their career in physiology education through mentorship by experienced physiology educators.
  • Be exposed to innovative methods in Medical Physiology
  • Enhance skills in areas of general academic writing: proposal/grant writing, scientific presentations, and writing for publications.

This will be primarily an online, interactive program but in-person experiences will be encouraged through attendance at scientific meetings or institutional visits as determined by each mentor-mentee pair.

The program is guided by

Susan M. Barman, PhD, 1st Vice-President of IUPS at barman@msu.edu or
Simiat O. Elias, PhD, Co-Chair of IUPS Board of the General Assembly at simiat.elias@aku.edu

Please note that the deadline for applications has already passed. Currently, no further applications are possible.

The IUPS International Mentoring Program in Asia

“The IUPS International Mentoring Program in Asia” was started in Dec 2023 initiated by IUPS vice president Prof. Yoshihiro Kubo. The scope of the mentoring is general and broad, including career path finding, research and methodology, writing of applications to fellowship etc, writing of research/review articles, and physiology education.

A call-for-application of mentors was sent to PSJapan members and 8 members volunteered.

A call-for-application of mentees was sent to some Institutions and PSs in Asia. 11 mentees joined the program from 5 Asian countries (2 from Vietnam, 1 from Laos, 1 from Thailand, 4 from Mongolia, 3 from Nepal).

The 1st round of mentoring interview was finished in Jan 2024, The 2nd round, scheduled in approximately in June 2024, is ongoing.

Please note that the deadline for applications has already passed. Currently, no further applications are possible.

Further Aspects: Mentors and Mentees

A Mentor

  • Provides active guidance and support in the research direction of the mentee
  • Helps the Mentee set priorities, goals, and timelines for research projects
  • Supports the Mentee in identifying potential collaborations and networking opportunities
  • Enthusiastically shares required skills, knowledge, expertise, and time
  • Facilitates initiatives to strengthen the discipline of physiology in a global manner

A Mentee

  • Seeks from the Mentor learning support for ideation of research projects bearing strong rationale
  • Acquires necessary knowledge base for research tools & techniques and for data driven analysis tools
  • Learn as how to create a “story” based on novel research findings through active interaction and collaboration 

Initial steps for additional mentoring programmes

  • Building of a group of peers willing to share their time and expertise towards grooming and giving shape to the Mentees’ thoughts and ideas on project building, identifying targeted goals and technical feasibility to conduct project- potential Mentors can send information to iupsmanager@iups.org
  • Only on special request: potential Mentees submit ideas (Title, Aims & Objectives, Rationale and Preliminary Work Plan, in not more than 1000 words) to this group. Check if mentor can be assigned.