Teaching and Learning
Supporting excellence in teaching and learning at UW–Madison

Awards for Mentoring Undergraduates In Research, Scholarly and Creative Activities

The Office of the Provost and Division for Teaching and Learning offer awards to recognize the important role mentors play in fostering undergraduates’ intellectual, personal and professional growth through participation in high-impact practices including research, scholarly and creative endeavors. These awards provide faculty members, groups of mentors, academic staff, post-doctoral fellows and graduate students with recognition for their excellence in mentoring undergraduates and their contribution to our students’ Wisconsin Experience.

Awardees will be recognized at the annual Undergraduate Symposium in the spring.

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2025 Awardees

College of Agricultural & Life Sciences
Katie Klimpel, Graduate Student, Genetics

Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement
Hyewon Park, Advisor, Center for Educational Opportunity

College of Engineering
Kumar Sridharan, Professor, Materials Science & Engineering

College of Letters & Science
Emma Libersky, Graduate Student, Communication Sciences & Disorders
David Lovelace, Scientist, Geoscience
Mayra Oyola-Merced, Assistant Professor, Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences
Marla Ramirez, Assistant Professor, History

 

School of Medicine and Public Health
Aaron Dingle, Scientist, Surgery
Randall Kimple, Professor, Carbone Cancer Center

Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research
Linda Horianopoulos, Post-doctoral Researcher, Wisconsin Energy Institute

Award Nomination Details

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Eligibility

  • UW–Madison faculty members, groups of mentors, academic staff, post-doctoral fellows and graduate students are eligible
  • Nominees should have (or recently have had) responsibility for mentoring and working closely with UW–Madison undergraduate students in an independent learning environment
  • Nominees can come from any discipline as long as they mentor undergraduates in a scholarly activity
  • Nominees regularly exhibit several of the actions and attributes listed below in the “Nominee Info” section

Nominee Info

The following are examples of actions and attributes of potential nominees:

  • Successfully learn about and integrate the needs of the undergraduate scholar into their work
  • Support the undergraduate in their academic success beyond the shared scholarship experience – for example, have meaningful interactions related to professional development, beyond the scope of the student’s project responsibilities, and actively support the undergraduate’s academic and career aspirations
  • Provide access and support in helping the undergraduate present, perform and/or publish their project in a professional setting
  • Maintain high expectations for undergraduate work and provide the undergraduate with a high level of support
  • View teaching as integral to mentoring
  • Give students autonomy and support in asking and exploring new questions
  • Have a consistent track record of successful outcomes for undergraduates from a variety of backgrounds (e.g., presentation at professional conferences, publication, admission to graduate/professional school, etc.)
  • Maintain active and continued mentorship after the students leave the group (e.g., keep in touch and support students as they move through their careers)

How to Nominate

  • One-page letter from the nominee’s department chair or unit director making or endorsing the nomination that describes the nominee’s approach to mentoring and highlights how the nominee demonstrates several of the actions and attributes outlined in the “Nominee Info” section above
  • A minimum of one letter of support (maximum of 5 letters) from an undergraduate mentee describing how the nominee regularly demonstrates several of the actions and attributes outlined in the “Nominee Info” section
  • One letter of support from a colleague, supervisor or outside organization who can speak to the nominee’s demonstration of several of the actions and attributes outlined in the “Nominee Info” section, as well as the nominee’s mentoring philosophy
  • Short CV (1-2 pages) of the nominee

The nomination period for the 2024-25 academic year has closed. Please check back for next year’s deadline in spring 2026.

Why Mentoring Matters

2024 award winners Caroline Gottschalk Druschke (professor of English), Daniel Pearce (graduate student, biomedical engineering), and Mou Banerjee (assistant professor of history) reflect on their experiences mentoring undergraduates.