The Teaching Center’s Mentoring in STEM Teaching program (MiST) for junior faculty brings together tenure-track assistant professors with tenured faculty for a two-year mentoring experience focused on teaching. The program is designed to help junior faculty in science, engineering, and mathematics departments develop their teaching early in their careers and to foster a multi-disciplinary, multi-level community of practice among Washington University faculty who are focused on developing effective teaching approaches in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

The MiST program pairs assistant and tenured professors for a two-year mentoring experience that includes regular opportunities for observation and discussion of teaching. In addition, it creates opportunities for junior faculty to receive non-evaluative, formative feedback on teaching from colleagues outside of the departmental review process. During the program, participants attend The Teaching Center’s Junior-Faculty Workshops and have multiple opportunities to observe colleagues teaching STEM courses in a variety of levels and topics.

This program began in January 2015, with initial support provided by the University’s AAU grant for improving STEM education. The first MiST cohort will complete the program in December 2016; the second cohort will begin the program in January 2017.

Overview of the Two-Year MiST Program

During the two-year program, each participating assistant professor will complete the following components:

• Attend a minimum of four Teaching Center Junior-Faculty Workshops,
• Have their teaching observed twice by a mentor and receive feedback,
• Observe at least four different science, engineering, and mathematics courses,
• Attend two MiST program meetings during each of the two years. The meetings will feature facilitated discussions on teaching,
• Write two reflections on the insights they are gaining through participation in the program.

For further information on the program, please contact Beth Fisher, Director, Academic Services. The Teaching Center.