Getting Started

Table of contents

  1. The Yale-Proxima Mentorship Program
  2. Timeline
  3. Workshops
  4. Mentorship
  5. Career Development
  6. Proxima Symposium
  7. Being a Mentor
    1. Expectations
    2. Frequently Asked Questions
  8. Get in touch

The Yale-Proxima Mentorship Program

is a virtual mentoring program for young Brazilians in the pursuit of knowledge and excellence in biological and biomedical sciences. Through interactive discussions, the program introduces students to critical thinking, practices, skills, and a network of researchers to contribute to their personal and professional development.

During a 10-month period (March-December), students participate in our program and are exposed to inspirational, informative, and empowering activities. The cohorts have around 30 Scholars, with access to workshops, career development meetings, and mentorship sessions.

The program is formed by 4 different components:

  1. Workshops
  2. Mentorship
  3. Career Development
  4. Proxima Symposium

Timeline

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    dateFormat MM-DD-YY
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    section Workshops
    W1     : wp1, 03-12-25, 10d
    W2     : wp2, 03-26-25, 10d
    W3     : wp3, 04-16-25, 10d
    W4     : wp4, 05-14-25, 10d
    W5     : wp5, 06-04-25, 10d
    W6     : wp6, 06-18-25, 10d
    W7     : wp7, 07-16-25, 10d
    W8     : wp8, 08-06-25, 10d
    W9     : wp9, 09-10-25, 10d
    W10    : wp10, 10-01-25, 10d
    W11    : wp11, 11-12-25, 10d
    W12    : wp12, 12-06-25, 10d
    W13    : wp13, 12-10-25, 10d

    section Mentorship
    M1     : mm1, 04-10-25, 14d
    M2     : mm2, 05-16-25, 14d
    M3     : mm3, 06-20-25, 14d
    M4     : mm4, 08-08-25, 14d
    M5     : mm5, 09-12-25, 14d
    M6     : mm6, 10-17-25, 14d
    M7     : mm7, 11-21-25, 14d

    section SoP Review
    Submission : sop1, 07-15-25, 08-15-25
    Review     : sop2, 08-16-25, 09-01-25
    Feedback   : sop3, after sop2, 30d

Workshops

Wed, 6:00-7:30 pm EST, every ~4 weeks

The workshop series brings scientists and professors together to share experiences and discuss a diverse range of relevant topics. They take place on Wednesdays, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm (BRT), every two weeks.

The meetings occur in two different formats: round tables, during which students have the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the invited speakers, and practical workshops, where concepts and skills are developed through activities proposed by the speakers.

During the workshops, Scholars and Associates are expected to participate actively. Additionally, each group of 3-4 Scholars will mediate one of the round-table workshops, guided by their mentors and the rest of the IP Team.

The meetings will be held on Zoom and will be recorded. Mentors will have access to all recordings.

The schedule with detailed information about each workshop will be shared in a separate document.

Read more

Mentorship

Flexible, every 4-6 weeks

Groups of 3-5 Scholars will be paired with a mentor according to their academic and professional interests. The mentors are Brazilian Ph.D. students and postdocs conducting research in international institutions, who will, in an informal setting, mediate discussions and exchange experiences with participants.

There will be a total of 7 group meetings with the mentors. We suggest they be scheduled on Saturdays, from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM EST, every 4 to 6 weeks, via Zoom. The group meetings aim to provide a safe space to practice skills learned during workshops, work on topics relevant to each group of mentors and mentees, and bond with other Scholars.

In addition, at least two individual meetings with the mentor will occur throughout the year, during which Scholars can focus on any particular topic they find helpful for their personal or professional development.

Read more

Career Development

Personalized Schedule

In order to guide our students on how to better plan their careers, development sessions will be offered individually (according to the availability of the mentees) and in groups (schedule to be announced).

The sessions will be held by the instructor José Carlos Barreto Jr. Based on his experience, José develops projects for companies, groups, and individuals, focusing on strategies that lead to personal learning and change.

He has professional experience in projects involving team-building activities, personal development, coaching, classes, mediation, design thinking, and experiential lectures. He believes that interdisciplinary approaches are essential for developing successful projects.

Proxima Symposium

Every ~2 years

This international symposium will be held every two years in Brazil. It is the only in-person component of the program and aims to strengthen the YPMP community and promote interaction between students and established scientists from around the world.

Through this event, we hope to create a local culture of gathering Latin American students and motivated young investigators from renowned universities to discuss the current state-of-the-art work in the biomedical sciences. The interactive format of the seminars stimulates students who aim to pursue a career abroad to be in close contact with the speakers. We work particularly hard to match students and scientists to foster the education of young, talented Brazilian researchers abroad.

The first Proxima Symposium took place in 2023 for the classes of 2021 and 2022.

visit proximasymposium.com

Being a Mentor

Expectations

As a mentor,

  • Organize, schedule, and send out Zoom links for 7 group meetings and at least 2 individual meetings with each mentee throughout the duration of the program.
  • Be responsive via email, and be proactive in communicating any relevant issues regarding mentorship.
  • Attend the feedback/planning meetings with the IP Team (or watch the recorded meetings afterward if attendance is not possible).
  • Track students’ presence in group/individual meetings (they are required to attend 100% of the mentorship activities in order to receive the certificate of completion).
  • Report any major changes in group meeting dates or subjects (see more in the next section).
  • Do your best to support your mentees during the program, seeking external help whenever necessary and sharing relevant information/struggles with other mentors to discuss appropriate ways to proceed.
  • Communicate and meet with Zé. Zé will be meeting with your mentees, and he will be understanding more about their personalities, challenges, and goals. This collaboration between Zé and mentors can really enhance your experience as a mentor and also improve the experience of the mentees in the program. Mentors will have group meetings and individual meetings with Zé. He will contact all of the mentors soon regarding meeting dates.

As a mentor,

  • Answer all of your mentees’ questions.
  • Dedicate more time to the program than required to complete the mentorship activities described in this guide (although you can—it’s up to you).
  • Share personal information about your mentees outside the program, except when authorized by the person in question and for the purpose of helping them overcome some issue.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. I feel uncomfortable/I don’t think I can help one of the mentees I’ve been paired with. Can something be done about it?

    Yes. Being comfortable around your mentees is a prerequisite for successful mentorship sessions. After the mentor-mentee group has been formed, there will be several opportunities (through feedback forms and meetings with the IP Team) to express any personal issues that may require some intervention. These might include talking to one of the parties or swapping students from different groups. Scholars will also have the chance to express any discomfort with the group formed. Of course, the earlier any problem is identified, the better it is for the smooth running of the program.

  2. Can I join the Workshop/Career Development meetings?

    Mentors will have access to the Zoom recordings after every workshop, as well as opportunities to discuss their mentees’ career development progress with Zé. However, we are limiting participation in the Zoom sessions to Scholars and Associates to facilitate the mediation of dynamics and activities.

  3. My mentee wants some specific advice that I can’t provide. What should I do?

    Mentees can come up with any question they find relevant for the moment they are going through in life. It is not the mentor’s responsibility to know the answer to all of them. It is important, however, that the mentor shares these topics (if not a personal matter) either in meetings with other mentors, or with the IP team directly. This way, we can discuss potential strategies to help the students or find someone better suited to meet with the student to talk about the specific topic.

  4. Something came up and I no longer have time to assist my mentees. What should I do?

    Nobody is immune to the curveballs life might throw. If at some point you feel like you are unable to dedicate the necessary hours for the individual support your mentees need, please let the IP team know, and we will discuss the best way to proceed. The earlier, the better!

  5. One of my mentees has not shown up to a session, and I’m having difficulties contacting her/him. What should I do?

    In the event that a mentee misses a mentorship session without prior notice, please report the case to the IP Team. It is not a problem to miss a meeting, but we should monitor everybody’s participation in the different components of the program to identify and solve any potential issues with our students.

  6. I have more questions regarding the Yale-Proxima Mentorship Program. To whom should I talk?

    There will always be someone available to help you through our email: contato@iniciativa-proxima.org. However, you can also contact any member of the IP team directly if you have more specific questions or comments. You can find the list of our team members and their responsibilities at the following link: https://www.iniciativa-proxima.org/our-team

Get in touch

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