Note: The RAMP Guidelines are subject to change year-to-year as participant feedback is incorporated.
Overview
The Research Analytics Mentoring Program (RAMP) matches 1-4 mentees with a single mentor based on identified mentee goals and mentor expertise. The program formally runs for 6 months, and mentees are expected to have a culminating experience of their choice. Suggested deliverables may include a presentation (cohort or individual) at the annual Research Analytics Summit, presentation or poster at another professional conference (regional or national), a virtual webinar through REACH, or a written article (e.g. NCURA magazine) describing the impact of the RAMP learning experience. All deliverables should appropriately cite the REACH network RAMP program in any presentations or publications and should be accomplished shortly after the conclusion of RAMP.
All professionals working in research analytics, research evaluation, or artificial intelligence within research administration are welcome to apply as a mentor or mentee. Mentors are selected based on prior experience working within related areas and a leadership statement.
Program Requirements
- Emphasis on mentoring with a defined goal: To encourage professional growth, RAMP requires all mentees identify a goal that can be job-specific, soft skill development, and/or other related topics. The mentoring program is not meant to be a networking group; however, a mentee may choose “develop networking skills” as a goal. Applicants are asked to share their goal(s) in the RAMP application.
- RAMP employs a peer mentoring model where you may have up to 3 additional mentees in your group. Mentees must be willing to help each other work on defined goals and be supportive, kind, and respectful of each other’s time.
- To the best of our abilities, mentees are grouped by common goals with an appropriate mentor. If we are unable to find a mentor from the application pool for your goal, we may reach out through our network to try to find one. If we are unable to find one for you, we will let you know and you can reapply in a future year.
- The experience will culminate with a deliverable carried out by the mentees. It can be done individually or with your fellow mentees in your group. There are many options for this deliverable: presentation at a professionally organized convening (virtual or in-person), publication in a journal/magazine, survey or pilot program at your institution. You can also reach out to the RAMP leadership to schedule a webinar for the REACH network on a relevant topic.
- The purpose of having mentees identify a goal is to optimize the experience for all participants. Examples include but are not limited to:
- Goal: Improve my presentation skills to non-technical audiences and Deliverable: Present at the Research Analytics Summit with 3 techniques you learned.
- Goal: Learn more about free/open-source analytical software and Deliverable: Create a list of tools categorized by topic and submit the resource to be published in NCURA magazine.
- Goal: I would like to make my tasks more efficient, perhaps with the use of AI and Deliverable: Present at an SRAI regional meeting on a process you made more efficient.
Note: REACH does not have funds to support mentee travel expenses for program deliverables. Costs for associated activities are the responsibility of the mentee’s home institution.