Mentoring

SOARS

Research mentor

The research mentor works with their protégé on a research topic of mutual interest. The research mentor spends time discussing the project, guiding research, teaching scientific methods, and helping the protégé with their research paper and presentation. 

Time commitment of approximately ten hours per week, varying depending on student's level. SOARS runs from May 21 - August 3, 2012.

Writing mentor

A writing mentor offers one-on-one feedback to their protégé on writing and presentations. The writing mentor supplements the instruction protégés receive in their weekly writing workshop. 

Time commitment of approximately three hours per week, varying depending on student's level. SOARS runs from May 21 - August 3, 2012.

Computing mentor

The computing mentor helps the protégé learn the computing skills necessary to complete their project. Mentoring includes providing one-on-one tutoring, recommending resources and helping debug or troubleshoot code.

Time commitment of approximately two hours per week, varying depending on student's level. SOARS runs from May 21 - August 3, 2012.

Coach

Each first-year SOARS protégé is assigned a coach. The coach meets approximately once a week to help their protégé develop solutions to troubling situations by helping them define the problem, envision the way they would like things to be, and develop and implement steps to get there.  

Time commitment of approximately one hour per week, varying depending on student's level. SOARS runs from May 21 - August 3, 2012.

Spark Pre-College Internship

Research mentor

The research mentor spends two days each week guiding their Spark intern through a small project and teaching basic scientific methods.

Time commitment of approximately ten hours per week, varying depending on student's level. The Spark Pre-College Internship runs from June 21 - August 3, 2012.

Community mentor

Community mentors are provided for Spark interns who are not from Boulder or the surrounding area.  The mentor's role is to help these students feel comfortable during their summer in Boulder through extra-curricular activities such as hiking, sharing meals, shopping, etc.

Volunteer as a mentor

RETI

RETI is a one-year teacher internship program that offers 12 practicing and pre-service secondary teachers an opportunity to develop an advanced understanding of global climate change research and partner with climate scientists and other educators to create new curricular materials for immediate use in the classroom. Teachers take online courses to learn about climate science and climate change before spending four weeks at NCAR during the summer to develop climate science classroom materials in conjunction with scientists.  Afterward, they work with Spark staff to test and disseminate their modules.

Assistance needed from scientists:
Scientists are needed to work with the teachers during their summer tenure from July 9 - August 3. This includes giving a talk during the week of July 9 on your area of research and sharing data the teachers may be able to use in their modules. If you're available during the following three weeks, the teachers might request follow-up meetings or ask questions over email as they work to include the data in their modules.

Note:  Spark has grant funds available to pay for your time on this project.

Time commitment:
Prior to July 9 – up to 4 hours to meet with Spark staff to plan for July talk, prep time for talk
Week of July 9 – 1.5 hours for talk and Q&A
July 9-August 3 - up to 5 hours per week to meet with teachers or communicate via phone and email
Afternoon of August 2 - if possible, attend the teacher presentations

Get involved with RETI