RMP Mentors

2024 RMP Mentor Applications are now open!

Scroll below to submit your application. 

Program Information

Program dates: June 17 – August 2, 2024

RMP is a unique and rigorous six-week summer program that engages talented high school students from all over the world in interdisciplinary, hands-on, university-level research. Join our program as a mentor and help create an academically inspiring summer for our next generation of researchers.

A notable feature of the program is that students select a research project during a four-day virtual component (June 17 – 21) before arriving on campus.

  • Mentors will have an opportunity to pitch and showcase their research projects to the entire RMP cohort.
  • Students then submit their preferences and are matched with a project based on a series of proven criteria.
  • On their first day on campus (June 24), students will be introduced to their assigned mentors and begin their research work.

 

Ideal mentors are researchers who:

  • want to share their passion for research and their field of expertise with highly qualified and motivated students;
  • can guide project(s) to completion so that students can present their findings at the RMP Research Symposium and Poster Session that takes place in the final days of the program. 

 

Mentor Stipend

$1,200* per student

  • Each Mentor may supervise up to 4 students to earn up to $4,800 in Summer Session A

  • Up to $60 in research supplies per mentored student will be apportioned (with prior approval and purchased by Pre-College Programs)

  • $50 Amazon gift card is guaranteed if you and your project(s) are not selected by students

*Mentors can choose to receive a stipend (payroll) or research funds managed by their department of choice. 


Mentor Eligibility

  • Graduate Student, Postdoctoral Researcher, Research Scientist, or Faculty

  • Must be available (on campus) during the program dates—short travel trips are acceptable during this period as long as it does not impact student support

  • All disciplines considered in STEM, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education (interdisciplinary preferred)

The last day to withdraw a mentorship appointment is June 1, 2024. Withdrawing past this date will require you to find a replacement mentor.


Project Eligibility

Ideal projects will be interdisciplinary and will engage mentees in developing and executing research skills related to the mentor’s ongoing research.

  • Mentors may submit up to 2 distinct research projects

  • Up to 2 students are allowed per project; however, each mentee must investigate a unique question within the six-week timeframe of the program

  • Proposed project(s) must have a hands-on component (i.e., computational, theory, field, lab, survey, archival, primary source analysis, etc.)

For guidance, please review sample project descriptions from previous years.


Mentor Training

Mentors must attend one virtual orientation before the start of the program. They will be able to choose a session from the following list of options in the application form.

  • Monday, June 3, 2024, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm

  • Tuesday, June 4, 2024, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

  • Wednesday, June 5, 2024, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

  • Thursday, June 6, 2024, 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm

  • Friday, June 7, 2024, 10:00 am – 11:30 am

 

Virtual Project Pitches

June 17 – June 21, 2024 (scheduled)

Mentors will pitch each project to the RMP cohort during the virtual component of the program. This process ensures that the student is not only interested in the research topic but also meets the technical requirements of the project.

Mentors will have 7 minutes to pitch a project and take questions from the audience. They will also be invited to attend the break sessions to meet with students directly and answer additional questions. Mentors will be able to choose session blocks in the application form. 

  • Monday, June 17, 2024, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

  • Tuesday, June 18, 2024, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

  • Thursday, June 20, 2024, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

  • Friday, June 21, 2024, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm

 

Scheduling

Mentors must meet their student(s) regularly during the program. We recommend that Mentors meet with their mentee(s) for one hour every other day, in addition to answering general email communication, outside of required course and program activities. Beyond these scheduled meetings, students are expected to work independently 35–50 hours weekly on their research projects and assignments. 

 

To Apply

  • Complete the RMP Mentor Application Form
  • Submit a description for each proposed project to Teresa Holden. The description(s) should include the following information:
    • General overview of the project
    • Goals and research question(s)
    • A list of prerequisites or desired skills

For guidance, please review sample project descriptions from previous years.

 

Contact us

If you have any questions about the program or your research project proposal, please contact Teresa Holden.


Resources

UCSB Minors in Lab Policies