W.M. KECK MENTORSHIP AWARDS 2019
The Office of Academic Affairs has established three mentorship awards through support from the W.M. Keck Foundation. These mentorship Awards have been established to recognize extraordinary mentorship activities that go above and beyond regular advising, for example by developing new mentoring initiatives, assisting those that face significant challenges or are vulnerable, or creating new pathways for growth and empowerment. The recipients receive a monetary award of $1,500 for mentoring or advising activities.
Mentoring Undergraduate Students:
Kristine Callan, Teaching Professor in Physics
Kristine has taken a lead role in establishing three mentoring and advising groups at Mines. She helped create the Mines K-12 teacher prep program known as TEAM-UP, co-founded the campus-wide student group Equality Through Awareness, and founded the Society for Women in Physics. She volunteers as CASA faculty, serves as a coordinator and mentor in Physics 100, and coordinates various junior-level physics courses with the well-being of students in mind. These efforts serve to create the next generation of teachers, promote underrepresented groups in science and engineering, and foster a healthier campus climate and learning environment.
Mentoring Graduate Students:
Kathryn Johnson, Associate Professor in Electrical Engineering
Diane Witters, Adjunct Faculty in Geophysics
Kathryn and Diane have designed and have co-led the Women Graduate Students mentoring group since 2013. This group is a forum where graduate women connect across different departments, share their stories and questions, receive encouragement and experienced support, and explore professional topics that are especially relevant to them. Through a blend of informal and formal events each semester, the group provides resources for professional development, communication, negotiation, networking, work-life balance, wellness, and other interests expressed by Mines graduate women.
Mentoring Faculty and Staff:
Kamini Singha, Professor in Geology and Geological Engineering &
Ben Fryrear Endowed Chair for Innovation and Excellence
Kamini holds the Ben Fryear Endowed chair with the goal of developing a professional development and mentorship program to support faculty new to Mines. Her program has supported incoming faculty to help them succeed in academia and to understand the fundamentals of working at Mines. Kamini’s role as a faculty mentor extends well beyond the formal program she has developed. She regularly meets with faculty from various background across campus to serve as a mentor and to help them achieve their professional and personal goals. Kamini is an exemplary faculty mentor and a consistent force for positive change on the Mines campus.
