The Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) base curricula includes Entering Research, Entering Mentoring and Mentoring Up. CIMER has developed a total of 23 curricula to cover a wide range of disciplines and careers. Visit MyCIMER and create a free account to preview and download the curricula.
MENTOR CURRICULA: Entering Mentoring
The curricula, called Entering Mentoring, is for mentors of research trainees. It was originally developed for mentors across science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) disciplines at different career stages, working with undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty.
Our mentor training materials are designed for those who wish to implement process-based, professional development workshops for research mentors. You may choose one of our complete, pre-assembled curriculum packages or build your own customized curriculum to meet your needs.
The Entering Mentoring curricula series addresses the new NIGMS guidelines 
regarding the preparation of mentors involved in training grants.
Themes and Concepts:
- Aligning Expectations
- Articulating Your Mentoring Philosophy and Plan
- Assessing Understanding
- Cultivating Ethical Behavior
- Enhancing Work-Life Integration
- Fostering Independence
- Fostering Wellbeing
- Maintaining Effective Communication
- Promoting Mentee Research Self-Efficacy
- Promoting Professional Development
- Reflecting on Diversity & Establishing a Practice of Inclusion
MENTEE CURRICULA: Mentoring Up
Mentoring Up is an active learning approach designed for post-doctoral scholars and junior faculty to support development of the skills needed to successfully navigate the research training environment and proactively manage their mentoring relationships. The curricula integrate topics from Entering Research and Entering Mentoring to develop mentoring up skills. These curricula were originally developed for use with trainees across the science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) disciplines. You can read more about the development of these training materials ..
These curricula address important topics and concepts in research mentoring and training by creating learning communities and engaging post-doctoral scholars and junior faculty in activities, assignments, case studies, and facilitated discussions to solve mentoring dilemmas and share successful mentoring up strategies.
Themes and Concepts:
- Building Research Self-Efficacy
- Aligning Expectations
- Maintaining Effective Communication
- Reflecting on Diversity & Establishing a Practice of Inclusion
- Enhancing Work-Life Integration*
- Fostering Independence
- Promoting Professional Development
*Unique to Junior Faculty Curriculum
MENTEE CURRICULA: Entering Research
The Entering Research conceptual framework, curriculum and assessment resources available through CIMER were developed at the Wisconsin Institute for Science Education and Community Engagement (WISCIENCE). Please visit the WISCIENCE website for the most up-to-date information.
The second edition of the Entering Research curriculum (Branchaw, Butz, and Smith, 2020) is a collection of nearly 100 evidence-based activities for undergraduate and graduate research trainees that can be mixed and matched to create new customized curricula. Alternatively, individual Entering Research activities can be integrated as needed into existing curricula for research training programs and courses. The curricular activities are designed to create inclusive learning communities that structure the research experience, clarify behavioral and performance expectations, and develop the social and cultural capital trainees need to successfully navigate the research environment. Each activity is aligned to the Entering Research conceptual framework and contains trainee materials and detailed facilitator instructions to guide implementation.The curriculum was originally developed for use with trainees across science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medical (STEMM) disciplines engaged in team-based research, and has since been adapted for use with students conducting individualistic research across all disciplines as well.
Themes and Concepts:
The Entering Research Conceptual Framework
The Entering Research conceptual framework is grounded in the literature on research trainee development and research program effectiveness. It includes learning objectives in seven areas of trainee development that incorporate several theories shown to be relevant to various aspects of research trainee development.
1. Research Comprehension and Communication Skills (RCC)
Activities in this area help trainees develop a deep understanding of their research project by requiring them to write about and present their research to others. Through writing and presenting, trainees interact with colleagues, in particular their mentor, and have the opportunity to establish and cultivate professional relationships and interpersonal communication skills.
RCC Learning Objectives:
- Develop Effective Interpersonal Communication Skills
- Develop Disciplinary Knowledge
- Develop Research Communication Skills
- Develop Logical/Critical Thinking Skills
- Develop an Understanding of the Research Environment
2. Practical Research Skills (PRS)
Activities in this area provide scaffolded support to trainees as they progress through their research project. Trainees are required to explain the methods they are using to conduct research, the rationale for selecting those methods, the nature and value of the data they are collecting, and their approach to analyzing the data.
PRS Learning Objectives:
- Develop Ability to Design a Research Project
- Develop Ability to Conduct a Research Project
3. Research Ethics (RE)
Activities in this area raise awareness and provide opportunities to explore how to recognize and respond to unethical behavior in the research environment.
RE Learning Objectives:
- Develop Responsible and Ethical Research Practices
4. Researcher Identity (RID)
Activities in this area help trainees develop their identity as a researcher in the discipline and provide opportunities to explore how their emerging identity as a researcher can integrate with other identities that are important to them (e.g., cultural, ethnic and socioeconomic identities).
RID Learning Objectives:
- Develop Identity as a Researcher
5. Researcher Confidence and Independence (RCI)
Activities in this area encourage trainees to take ownership of their research projects and to become progressively more independent in conducting research, analyzing and interpreting data, and making decisions about the next steps in their projects.
RCI Learning Objectives:
- Develop Confidence as a Researcher
- Develop Independence as a Researcher
6. Equity and Inclusion Awareness and Skills (EIA)
Activities in this area provide opportunities to explore the benefits and challenges of individual differences in the research environment. Various perspectives are explored and trainees learn strategies to engage cultural capital to support progress, successfully navigate challenges, and contribute as members of diverse research teams.
EIA Learning Objectives:
- Develop Skills to Deal with Personal Differences in the Research Environment
- Advance Equity and Inclusion in the Research Environment
7. Professional and Career Development Skills (PDS)
Activities in this area raise trainee awareness of a variety of research and research related careers, allowing them to explore which may be the right fit for them. Trainees also consider the skills, knowledge and types of experiences they will need to prepare for various career paths.
PDS Learning Objectives:
- Explore and Pursue a Research Career
- Develop Confidence in Pursuing a Research Career
Learning Assessment:
The Entering Research Learning Assessment (ERLA)
The Entering Research Learning Assessment (ERLA) was developed to align with the Entering Research conceptual framework. It expands upon the scope of previous undergraduate research assessment tools and includes two surveys, a trainee self-assessment of learning gains and mentor assessment of trainee learning gains. The parallel surveys measure learning across the seven areas of trainee development and can be used with both undergraduate and graduate trainees and their mentors. Evidence of validity has been published for the entire instrument and for the seven individual scales for each of the areas of trainee development. Mentor and mentee survey results can be aligned and compared to understand how mentors and mentees agree (or not) on their assessment of the mentee’s learning gains. See Butz and Branchaw (2020) for evidence of content validity, internal structure validity (confirmatory factor analysis and factor loadings), convergent validity, and internal consistency of the instruments.
The ERLA, along with other research experience assessment and implementation evaluation tools, is available in the Entering Research book. In addition, trained facilitators of Entering Research and our research collaborators are eligible to access online versions of these instruments and aggregate reports of their data free of charge.
Collaborate With Us
To inquire about Entering Research collaboration opportunities, please contact enteringresearch@education.wisc.edu.