BSA is pleased to announce that the new Botany & Beyond: PLANTS III (Preparing Leaders and Nurturing Tomorrow's Scientists) program funded by the National Science Foundation will be bringing 15 talented undergraduates of diverse backgrounds to Botany 2022 in Anchorage this summer. The mentoring program is integral in helping our scientific community to nurture student interest in plant biology, and ultimately to diversify and advance our science.

Those who have participated have found it to be an incredibly rewarding experience. The majority of our PLANTS recipients from the past eleven years have been accepted to or are currently pursuing graduate programs or a career in the plant sciences. Several alumni have progressed far enough in their careers that they have landed positions as assistant professors, are working in research labs, conservation programs, government jobs, or in industry.

We are currently seeking 15 Professional/PostDoc mentors and 15 Graduate student/Peer mentors for the program. It is preferable that mentors have experience at a past scientific conference (BOTANY or another national scientific meeting). Mentors agree to a 2-3 hour commitment each day of the meeting as well as attendance at 1-2 summer Zoom mentor trainings (1 hour each) and certain conference events including the Sunday evening July 24th student/mentor meet-up, Tuesday July 26th Belonging in Botany Special Lecture with mentee, Wednesday July 27th Beyond BOTANY lunch with mentee and touching base with our PLANTS grant recipients prior to, during, and after the meeting this summer. Our Botany & Beyond grant will cover registration for the Peer Mentors.

Your primary role will be to help guide your student through the meeting, listen to their questions and desires about their career path, and share your personal experiences in the field of the botanical sciences. The main mentoring takes place at the conference itself. As a mentor, you are expected to attend and discuss a few talks with your mentee each day, help them network and introduce them to colleagues, discuss their interests and career path, and in general, help them enjoy and benefit professionally from the conference. We also encourage mentors to follow-up with their mentees after the conference and we plan to create opportunities for the PLANTS cohorts and mentors to connect throughout the year.

Anyone interested in mentoring a PLANTS recipient, should complete the following short application form. We want our mentors and mentees to have the best possible experience. The questions in this form will be used to help pair mentors and students and we will confirm your participation in mid-May.