Conference Pairings Program

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The Conference Pairings Program (CPP) seeks to provide a mentoring experience at a professional scientific conference. Scientific conferences offer students, professionals, and those interested in fisheries, wildlife, and ecology a space to disseminate knowledge and build professional networks.

 

Who is part of this program and what does it offer?

Graduate Students and Post-Docs may volunteer to be a mentor to an undergraduate student during a professional conference. This practical mentoring opportunity offers a mentor the chance to build skills in leadership and disseminating practical career advice and networking strategies that will be crucial throughout their careers in fisheries, wildlife, and conservation sciences.

Undergraduate Students may volunteer to be paired with a graduate student or post-doc mentor during a professional conference. This practical mentoring opportunity offers a mentee the chance to develop professional tools and skills to pursue research and employment opportunities in fisheries, wildlife, and conservation sciences, and make a personal and professional connection with someone in the field who can help to navigate the culture and logistics of science.

 

How does this program work?

• Graduate Students, Post-Docs, and Undergraduate Students planning to attend a professional scientific conference may fill out their information in the Conference Pairings Interest Database.

• This Database will be used to connect Graduate Students and Post-Docs who are interested in being mentors with Undergraduate Students who are interested in being mentees. This Database can be referenced by anyone within Oregon State University throughout the year. FWUMP Coordinators will monitor the Database year-round to help facilitate pairings.

• All pairings should be reported back to the FWUMP Coordinators (fwcs.mentoring@oregonstate.edu) - funding may be available to pairs made within this program!

• Mentors and Mentees will be asked to meet up at least once during the conference to check-in, discuss experiences, and/or strategize getting the most out of the conference experience. A meeting over a meal or break is highly encouraged.

• Additional meet ups throughout the conference are encouraged (time dependent) but not expected.

 

What might I gain from participating in this program?

• Undergraduate Students:

  • Identify an area of professional interest in fisheries or wildlife

  • Identify and pursue the next step toward a career in fisheries or wildlife

  • Develop and maintain a resume or curriculum vitae

  • Begin to build a professional network in fisheries, wildlife, and conservation sciences

 

• Graduate Students and Post-Docs:

  • Guide an undergraduate student through the culture of science

  • Facilitate professional and academic goal setting for an undergraduate student

  • Edit and revise undergraduate professional development documents, including resumes and/ or curriculum vitae

  • Continue to build a professional network in fisheries, wildlife, and conservation sciences