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Part Iii. Mentoring Case Studies, David Law, Nora Domínguez

Making Connections

Part III includes case studies of the different academic populations, such as undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, and staff, providing 11 case studies. Chapters 16 through 19 include four case studies focused on undergraduate students. Chapters 20 and 21 describe two programs focused on mentoring graduate students. Chapters 22 through 24 explore three case studies in which the mentees are faculty, and Chapters 25 and 26 are case studies for staff. This book contains one more case study in Part IV, Chapter 28. We placed this last case study in Part IV because it is an example of a networked …

Chapter 14- The Mentoring Program As A Research Project, David Law, Nicole Vouvalis, Andy Harris, Jim Lamuth

Making Connections

Chapter 14, “The Mentoring Program as a Research Project,” helps stakeholders, program coordinators, and researchers distinguish the differences and similarities between program evaluation and program research. If stakeholders choose to include program research, they will need approval from their university’s institutional review board (IRB). Therefore, the second section of this chapter helps stakeholders navigate the IRB. The third section of this chapter describes how theoretical frameworks, operational definitions of mentoring, and methodological designs factor into mentoring programs that contain research. While all formal mentoring programs in academia should include theoretical frameworks, operational definitions, and sound methodology, many do not. The …

Chapter 15- Funding The Mentoring Program, Monica Castañeda-Kessel

Making Connections

Chapter 15, Funding the Mentoring Program, provides essential resources for allies who want to implement or enhance their existing mentoring programs. Contextually, the discussion of funding opportunities is framed within the formal and informal mentoring language with one caveat. Informal mentoring program funding does not mean that the funding is easy to acquire or not rigorous to implement. Informal mentoring has strategic advantages for developing employee expertise and other desirable skills. Formal mentoring is the most prevalent type and had organizational advantages of scale. This chapter is composed of four sections. First, a brief overview of the theoretical and …

Chapter 12- A New Vision For Promoting Equity And Inclusion In Academic Mentoring Programs, Assata Zerai, Nancy López

Making Connections

What are the pitfalls of conventional student, faculty, and staff mentoring programs? Despite good intentions, how might they negatively impact Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), as well as other marginalized faculty who are women, LGBTQIA+, Persons with Disabilities (PWD), or first-generation college students (e.g., grew up in household where no parent/legal guardian earned a four-year college degree in the United States or abroad)? How could employing an intersectional framework—attention to the simultaneity of systems of oppression and resistance—as inquiry and praxis transform student, faculty, and staff mentoring programs? This chapter examines the challenges and possibilities for advancing equity …

Chapter 2- Recognizing Mentoring Program Identity And Applying Theoretical Frameworks For Design, Support, And Research, Mark J. Hager, Kim Hales, Nora Domínguez

Making Connections

Mentoring programs in academic settings take multiple forms depending on the population being served, the context in which they develop, and the purpose and outcomes to be achieved. This chapter identifies critical variables in choosing a solid theoretical foundation for designing effective mentoring programs and interventions in academia.

This chapter specifically addresses four clusters of theoretical frameworks that include psychosocial supports for mentoring, mentoring as a learning partnership, mentoring as career support, and developmental network theories that can be applied to careers.

This chapter is broken into four distinct sections. The first section outlines the process of identifying key components …

Chapter 3- Cultivating Diverse Forms And Functions Of Mentoring Relationships Within Academia, Audrey J. Murrell, Gloria O. Onosu

Making Connections

While mentoring is shown to have several positive benefits within academia, it is necessary to focus on the range of different high-quality relationships that are a necessary yet complex aspect of mentoring relationships. Thus, mentoring represents a complex, dynamic, and diverse range of mutually beneficial developmental relationships across diverse functions (career and psychosocial) and types (hierarchical, peer, group, and reverse) of mentoring. The impact of mentoring within academia demonstrates that these relationships are essential for developing a wide range of knowledge, skills, and abilities and developing social relationships and networks that are significant for learning, development, success, and well-being. Our …

Chapter 5- Needs Assessment And Data Analytics: Understanding Your Constituencies, Neal Legler

Making Connections

Needs assessment is an important early step in the development of a mentoring program because it helps ensure that program resources go toward improving prioritized institutional results. Needs assessment should involve key stakeholders, organized into a needs assessment committee, and then follow a systematic process to collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data and identify existing organizational needs. Needs are defined as the gap between desired organizational results and current results. They should be considered holistically and at all levels of the organization. As needs are identified, the needs assessment committee works with stakeholders through a combination of group management …

Chapter 18- Case Study Of The Statewide Faculty-To-Student Mentoring Program At Utah State University, Jeff Spears, Kim Hales, Hannah M. Lewis

Making Connections

The purpose of this article is to examine an undergraduate mentorship program through Utah State University (USU). The creation of the Faculty-to-Student Mentorship Program originated in an attempt to increase both retention and graduation rates throughout the statewide system. In the first year, a steering committee was formed, and the mentorship program was piloted on one statewide campus—Uintah Basin. During the next year, the program was expanded to all eight statewide campuses. The steering committee examined available literature regarding existing mentorship programs and identified three shortcomings: lack of theoretical framework, operational definition, and methodological rigor. This article discusses the program …

Chapter 13- Improving Mentoring Relationships And Programs Through Assessment And Evaluation, Laura Gail Lunsford

Making Connections

Chapter 13, Improving Mentoring Relationships and Programs Through Assessment and Evaluation, presents frameworks for deciding how to improve mentoring experiences. Assessment activities solicit feedback from or about the participants and focus on participant learning and in situ improvement opportunities. Evaluation efforts determine if the program achieved organizational goals. The chapter has four goals. First, the chapter clarifies the difference between assessment, evaluation, and research. Second, the chapter presents frameworks to guide assessment and evaluation efforts. Third, the chapter describes tools for assessment. Fourth, the chapter describes how to evaluate mentoring programs, what data to collect, when to collect it, …

Chapter 11- Preparing The Effective Mentee, Dionne Clabaugh

Making Connections

The purpose of this chapter is to help the mentoring program director create, implement, and evaluate academic mentoring programs after identifying structures that can effectively prepare their mentors and mentees for a successful mentoring experience. Some of the considerations explored are mentor program structures that are relationally based, goal-oriented, and grounded in autonomy supportive strategies. This chapter opens with the author’s lens in order to describe a human development approach to mentoring and then how to prepare mentees to be self-directed. The third section portrays mentoring program structures that promote self-directed mentees. This chapter concludes with generalizable findings and recommendations …

Chapter 10- Preparing The Effective Mentor, Natasha Mickel

Making Connections

Mentoring is a central component of teaching and learning in academia that involves mentors ranging from novice to advanced mentoring experience. Mentoring has been found to play a crucial role in successful career development at every professional level in academia. Consequently, it’s imperative that institutions design and implement mentoring programs that prepare mentors, regardless of background, to establish, build, and maintain positive mentoring relationships.

This chapter begins by discussing mentoring and its role in academia. As institutions strive to retain faculty, staff, and students, it serves institutions well to understand how the successful implementation of effective mentoring programs can close …

Chapter 23- Advancing Institutional Mentoring Excellence (Aime): An Institutional Inclusion Initiative, Valerie Romero-Leggott, Orrin Myers, Andrew Sussman, Rebecca Hartley

Making Connections

The Advancing Institutional Mentoring Excellence (AIME) pilot project was created at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center to address concerns by faculty of color regarding feelings of isolation, lack of representation, and suboptimal retention. The purpose of AIME was to foster an institutional culture of belonging and rigorously evaluate best practices for mentoring faculty of color toward promotion and tenure. AIME used a reciprocal mentoring model, in which both mentors and mentees increased self-efficacy and skills through a structured series of exercises and encounters. Senior faculty mentors were matched with junior faculty of color mentees through an electronic …

Chapter 24- Intentional Onboarding And Mentoring Of New Faculty At Central Michigan University, Sarah Marshall

Making Connections

Recognizing that faculty who are mentored are more likely to successfully navigate the tenure process and become effective members of the academic community, Central Michigan University’s (CMU) College of Education and Human Services (CEHS) developed a comprehensive mentoring and professional development program for all new, full-time faculty. This program provided a network of support, resources, and guidance for navigating inevitable challenges. Prior to the development of this program, departments varied in the ways they encouraged and addressed faculty mentoring. Most informally assigned a faculty mentor, but as our initial assessment demonstrated, little to no mentorship occurred. With the recruitment and …

Chapter 27- Networked Mentoring Programs In Academia, Dawn E. Chanland

Making Connections

This chapter proposes the value of informal and formalized university networked mentoring programs for the benefit of students, faculty, and staff. As research on networked approaches has proliferated, more university programs that transcend the traditional focus on one-on-one mentoring dyads are also on the rise. Drawing upon the evidence-based and theoretical literatures on networks and formal programs, I discuss four networked approaches that have shown promise to maximize mentoring’s effectiveness in universities. The approaches involve varying degrees of university resource investment. We consider formal program characteristics that predict positive program and relational effectiveness in undertaking networked approaches. In addition, we …

Introduction, David Law, Nora Domínguez

Making Connections

This book, Making Connections: A Handbook for Effective Formal Mentoring Programs in Academia, makes a unique and needed contribution to the mentoring field as it focuses solely on mentoring in academia. This handbook is a collaborative institutional effort between Utah State University's (USU) Empowering Teaching Open Access Book Series and the Mentoring Institute at the University of New Mexico (UNM). This book is available through (a) an e-book through Pressbooks, (b) a downloadable PDF version on USU's Open Access Book Series website), and (c) a print version available for purchase on the USU Empower Teaching Open Access page, and …

Contributors, David Law, Nora Domínguez

Making Connections

List of contributors for Making Connections: A Handbook for Effective Formal Mentoring Programs in Academia.

Mice As An Animal Model For Japanese Encephalitis Virus Research: Mouse Susceptibility, Infection Route, And Viral Pathogenesis, Jordan C. Frank, Byung-Hak Song, Young-Min Lee

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a zoonotic flavivirus, is principally transmitted by hematophagous mosquitoes, continually between susceptible animals and incidentally from those animals to humans. For almost a century since its discovery, JEV was geographically confined to the Asia-Pacific region with recurrent sizable outbreaks involving wildlife, livestock, and people. However, over the past decade, it has been detected for the first time in Europe (Italy) and Africa (Angola) but has yet to cause any recognizable outbreaks in humans. JEV infection leads to a broad spectrum of clinical outcomes, ranging from asymptomatic conditions to self-limiting febrile illnesses to life-threatening neurological complications, particularly …

Isokinetic Dynamometer Leg Extensor Peak Torque Measurement: A Time-Delayed Reliability And Score Selection Analysis Study, Brennan J. Thompson, Jennifer Xu

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

The reliability of isokinetic peak torque (PT) has been reported mostly using a short-term ( < ~10 day) inter-trial testing time frame. However, many studies and programs utilize a long-term (several weeks to months) inter-trial testing period. Additionally, the methods by which the PT value is selected and reported from a multiple rep testing scheme have not been well investigated for both reliability and PT absolute performance comparisons. The purpose of this study was to investigate the long-term reliability of isokinetic and isometric PT of the leg extensors with an emphasis on the differences among several PT score selection methods. Thirteen men and women (age = 19.5 years) underwent two testing trials separated by 28.8 (±1.8) days. Testing included maximal voluntary contractions of three sets of three reps for two isokinetic contraction conditions of 60 (Isok60) and 240 (Isok240) deg/s velocities, and three sets of one rep of isometric contractions for the leg extensors. The PT score was derived from seven different methods (see text for descriptions). Reliability as assessed from intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) varied widely across contraction conditions and PT score selection parameters. The Isok60 velocity overall had lower reliability (ICCs = 0.48–0.81) than Isok240 (0.77–0.87) across the conditions whereas the isometric PT variables showed moderate reliability (0.71–0.73). Overall the set 1 PT score selection parameters were generally lower (p ≤ 0.05) than those that involved sets two and three. Systematic error (p ≤ 0.05) was shown for 6 out of the 17 PT selection variables. On a subjective interpretation basis, when taking everything into account the best overall combination of time/trial efficiency, reliability, best/highest PT score parameter, and reduced risk of systematic bias appears to be the PT variable that uses the average of the highest two reps of the first two sets of three reps—i.e., averaging the highest two values of the six total reps from the first two sets.

Swietenia Mahagoni Leaves Extract: Antifungal, Insecticidal, And Phytochemical Analysis, Wael M. Khamis, Ahmed A. Heflish, Sarah El-Messeiry, Said I. Behiry, Abdulaziz A. Al-Askar, Yiming Su, Ahmed Abdelkhalek, Mohamed K. Gaber

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

In this study, we investigated the antifungal properties of an acetone extract derived from the leaves of Swietenia mahagoni (SMAL) against two isolated fungi, Fusarium equiseti (OQ820153) and Rhizoctonia solani (OQ820152), from rice sheath. The extract was effective in inhibiting the growth of both fungi at the highest concentration tested, 3000 μg·mL⁻¹. Laboratory tests on the LC20 of SMAL extract (49.86 mg·L⁻¹) versus pyriproxyfen 10% EC (1.96 mg·L⁻¹) were accomplished on Aphis gossypii Glover. The extract potently reduced the survival of the nymphs (49.58%) more than the other treatments. The longevity of nymphs treated …

The Benefits Of Bifidobacterium Longum And Its Viability In Different Environments, Lane Law, Aikhin Cheng

Utah Space Grant Consortium

When we talk about bacteria, people usually think of it as a bad thing to ever exist in the human body. However, there are some bacteria such as Bifidobacterium that are not only not a bad thing, but they can even promote a healthier life. Studies have shown that probiotics have various health benefits. Through their biological mechanisms in the body, probiotics have been shown to adjust gut functionality, enhance immunity, lower cholesterol, and encourage metabolic balance. Additionally, they can produce short-chain fatty acids, vitamins, enzymes, organic acids, and peptides that fight off microbes. Bacteria species that are considered probiotics …

How Is A Clean Environment Making Astronauts Sick?, Mia Sheneman, Lane Law

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Are astronauts deprived of bacteria? The irradiation process used to prepare astronaut food wipes out all harmful bacteria- as well as all beneficial bacteria found in their food. The stress of space travel can decrease the quality of GI bacteria due to low gravity, radiation, and a contained sterile environment. Is it important for astronauts to be eating probiotics?

Advances In Noninvasive Urine Oxygen Monitoring For Detection Of Acute Kidney Injury, Lars Lofgren, Kai Kück, Natalie Silverton

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication of cardiac surgery that is associated with increased hospital length of stay and mortality risk. The most common diagnostic criteria come from the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes Guidelines. These criteria rely on detecting changes in serum creatinine relative to a baseline measurement and decreased urine output. These markers are meant to capture a decrease in the overall filtration rate. However, the filtration rate may or may not change depending on the baseline health of the individual patient and the type and severity of the injury. In addition, these markers are influenced …

Modeling The Effects Of Space Travel On The Cardiovascular System Using A Bio-Mimetic In Vitro Hagfish Protein Model Of The Myocardium, Emilee Rickabaugh, Elizabeth Vargis

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Long-term space travel is a harsh experience for the human body. Astronauts exposed to the effects of space travel often experience bone and muscle loss, as well as an increased risk of diseases, including heart disease[1]. While the human heart has shown an impressive ability to adapt to spaceflight, many of the long-term effects on cardiovascular health are unknown [2]. To plan for missions requiring longer flight durations, understanding these effects is neccessary to assess the risk to the astronauts undertaking these missions. However, evaluating these risks is difficult due to the lack of a sufficiently accurate model. While animal …

Using Landsat And Sentinel To Investigate Drivers Of Algal Growth In Utah Lake, Kaylee B. Tanner

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Earth observation satellites provide a valuable opportunity to study spatial and temporal water quality trends in ways that are not possible with research based on in-situ water sampling. We used data from Sentinel 2 and the Landsat missions to analyze algae blooms on Utah Lake, a large, shallow, freshwater lake in Utah that is experiencing water quality challenges. We found that algae blooms mainly occur in the shallow bays and along the eastern shoreline of the lake, and are correlated with water temperature and turbidity. Our results suggest a need for further research and use of remote sensing data to …

Factors Affecting Remote Workers’ Job Satisfaction In Utah: An Exploratory Study, Amanda D. Ali, Lendel K. Narine, Paul A. Hill, Dominic C. Bria

Extension Research

With structural changes in work arrangements, employee retention becomes more important for organizational success. Guided by the Ability, Motivation, Opportunity (AMO) framework, this study investigated the factors affecting remote workers’ job satisfaction and personal wellbeing in Utah. From a sample of n = 143 remote workers, the study used a correlational design to identify the significant predictors of job satisfaction and personal wellbeing. It mapped the relationships between significant predictors of job satisfaction and personal wellbeing and explored the role of human resources (HR) policies and organizational culture in a remote work environment. Results showed intrinsic motivation, affective commitment, opportunity, …

Utah State University Commencement, 2023 – Main Campus, Utah State University

Commencement Programs

2023 Commencement Ceremony for the main campus of Utah State University.

What Carbon County Leaders And Residents Can Do To Strengthen The Impact Of Girls And Women In Their Area, Angie Kleven, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

This idea sheet is based on a 2023 gathering of 26 leaders in Carbon County. Girls and women face challenges unique to the area in which they live, and the goal of this gathering was to identify those barriers and determine strategies and initiatives that local leaders and residents can implement to address them. This document includes recommendations in the following areas: education (K-12 and higher ed), home and family, health and wellbeing, business and economics, and culture and community engagement.

Preparation, Characterization And Electron Yield Analysis On Highly Insulating Granular Particles, Heather Allen

Physics Capstone Projects

This study focuses on obtaining reliable electron yield measurements of highly insulating granular particles of various shape, size, and composition. Measurements of this kind have long been considered too difficult to collect on granular samples due to experimental complexities leading to a critical knowledge gap in the fundamental electrostatic behaviors of dust. A significant portion of this study was spent on preparing and characterizing granular samples before any type of measurement took place. Particles of varying sizes ranging from ~1 μm to ~100 μm, shapes including cubical, spherical, and angular, and composition including NaCl, MgO, Al₂O₃ and …

Improving Access To General Education Via Co-Teaching In Secondary Mathematics Classrooms: An Evaluation Of Utah's Professional Development Initiative, Kaitlin Bundock, Kristen Rolf, Anna Hornberger, Chamy Halliday

Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling Faculty Publications

Co-teaching may be a promising strategy to improve inclusive secondary mathematics education in rural schools. Professional development (PD) aids in special and general education teachers' co-teaching implementation, yet little empirical research examines how to effectively train and support co-teachers. In this study we describe one U.S. state's PD model for secondary mathematics co-teaching, evaluate outcomes of the PD on co-teachers' behaviors and beliefs, and examine the impact of co-teaching on students' mathematics achievement. We examined data from observations, surveys, and students' pre/post assessments across nine classes within seven U.S. school districts, including three rural school districts, over 3 years. We …

Artificial Intelligence In Landscape Architecture: A Literature Review, Phillip Fernberg, Brent Chamberlain

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly common in landscape architecture. New methods and applications are proliferating yearly and are being touted as viable tools for research and practice. While researchers have conducted assessments of the state of AI-driven research and practice in allied disciplines, there is a knowledge gap for the same in landscape architecture. This literature review addresses this gap by searching and evaluating studies specifically focused on AI and disciplinary umbrella terms (landscape architecture, landscape planning, and landscape design). It includes searches of academic databases and industry publications that combine these umbrella terms with the …