Student-Professional Ornithologist Mentor Program

This program is designed to pair students with established ornithologists in an effort to build camaraderie among people working in the same field, help students learn keys to success, and provide students a contact person with whom to confer throughout the meeting. Students get to chose from a list of professional ornithologists who have volunteered for the mentor program, and each student is paired with one professional from their 'wish list'. Discussion topics are provided to the students in order to get the conversation rolling and then it is up to the pairings to take it from there! Pairings are made about a month before the annual AOU meeting, allowing the mentor pairs to contact one another and begin conversations that will continue at the meeting.

Past Events

2010: Student-Mentor Lunch

This year we were able to host over 70 participants at the lunch because of funds provided by the AOU and volunteer donations! Professionals were paired with two students and had lunch at Uno Chicago Grill in San Diego’s Fashion Valley Mall. Professional and student pairs were seated around the restaurant in booths or at tables giving students a relaxed environment to discuss topics with the professional of their choice.

Many thanks to all volunteers in making this event a success!!

2008: Lunch with a Famous Ornithologist

Here's what past participants had to say about the mentor program:

"This was a great experience. I really appreciate the opportunities provided to students during these meetings to meet and associate with many people who, up until this point, were simply names at the tops of papers." Tyler Flockhart, student, University of Saskatchewan, 2006

"The program makes a new connection that exposes the student to a new set of people that likely overlaps very little with a student's previous sets of connections and thus quickly broadens exposure to those working in the student's field." Dr. Jeff Walters, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2005