The Predoctoral Training Program in Genetics includes about 8-12 entering students each fall and a faculty pool of over 80 mentors from more than 20 different campus departments.
Our program distinguishes itself from other graduate programs on campus by its strong emphasis on genetic-based analysis. Our students are committed to genetics and choose to join our program at UW because of the outstanding genetics expertise among our training faculty. Therefore, we seek mentors who can provide solid genetics training to our students based on their own prior training and/or research experience in genetics. We define “Genetics” broadly but rigorously to include not only research on genetics questions but also research using genetics-based approaches and/or genetic model organisms. Our training faculty emphasizes the methods and logic of genetic and genomic analyses.
Genetics mentors can train top-notch Genetics graduate students and interact with other program mentors conducting research with a strong Genetics focus.
Genetics mentors must meet the following requirements:
- Provide excellent mentorship to Genetics students by supporting their development as independent scientists, guiding them through research on a genetics-based project(s) and supporting their professional development
- Maintain a funding plan for each Genetics student that they choose to train.
- Participate in the Genetics program through the following activities:
a. Serve on Genetics thesis advisory committees. (Each student needs five members including at least three Genetics trainers per committee.)
b. Attend Genetics Colloquium (3:30 pm Wednesdays) on a reasonably regular basis (~30% of colloquia) during academic year
c. Attend summer Student Colloquia (3:30 pm Wednesdays) for students whose committees they serve on.
d. Participate in the Genetics Program recruitment season (January– March annually).
e. Serve on various program committees and teach workshops by invitation.
f. Attend the annual Genetics Retreat
g. Optional activities: participate in teaching courses within the program - Complete a mandatory two-hour mentor training workshop once every 5 years.
- Complete an annual activity report and submit a formal renewal application every 5 years.
Application Materials for new applications:
- A current NIH biosketch.
- A list of Current and Pending Support that includes your role (e.g. PI, co-I) and direct costs of each source per year, outlining funds to your lab.
- A 1–2-page statement of research interests. Include a description of your own training and/or research experience in Genetics.
- A ~ 1 page description of thesis projects that would be appropriate for a Genetics grad student (as opposed to students in other graduate programs).
- A list of past and current trainees and their current position and/or funding source. For current trainees, also list scientific meeting attended in the past year.
- A brief statement of how you, as a mentor, would participate in the Genetics program.
Applications are due on November 1 and April 1.
The Graduate Program Steering Committee, which consists of Genetics faculty, non-Genetics faculty mentors, and current Genetics PhD students, completes the first review and applicants who they are interested in recommending to the full faculty will be asked to give a seminar to the genetics community focused on genetics, which usually occurs as part of our regular Wednesday afternoon Colloquium series at 3:30 pm during fall and spring semesters. If Colloquium slots are not available, the seminar will be given during a Genetics faculty meeting (Fridays at 12pm).
Faculty votes are scheduled once per semester.
If you would like to be considered as a mentor, please send the above items to Genetics Graduate Program Manager Martha Reck (mreck2@wisc.edu ) and she will follow-up to provide a timeline.
RENEWAL: All mentors will complete an annual activity report and submit a formal renewal application every 5 years. This application will consist of information about the mentor’s training record, funding record, participation in the program, and mentor training.