For Faculty

Why Become a GIFT Faculty Mentor

Co-teaching - Mentors will be given the opportunity to co-teach a course during the fall or spring semester, collaborating with and mentoring a Tufts graduate student with whom you choose to work.
Team teaching provides a setting for a dynamic and stimulating exchange of ideas which can enhance your course and diversify your repertoire of teaching strategies.
Provide an opportunity to try out new approaches to teaching.
Participation in Institute events - Faculty Mentors are welcome at GIFT special events.
Performance reviews - Your commitment as a faculty mentor may be noted as a service activity to the university on your Faculty Information form.

Expectations for Faculty Mentors

Co-teaching - Mentoring the Teaching Fellow in the fall or spring by involving the fellow in key aspects of teaching the course. The role of the TF is different from that of a TA (see Frequently Asked Questions ).
Collaborate with the TF in preparing and teaching at least two sessions and possibly allow the TF to be involved in the assessment of these sessions. The faculty mentor will attend the sessions led by the TF.
Feedback - Mentors will be expected to provide TFs with feedback on their performance.
Final Assessment - Mentors will be expected to provide the TF with a final written assessment of their performance. A copy of the assessment should be sent to the Institute Director, Dr. Sinaia Nathanson.
Mentors should attend an orientation meeting hosted by the graduate dean prior to the Fall semester to familiarize themselves with GIFT and its goals.
Mentors should meet with their TF at least once before the beginning of the course.

Anand

Ranjith Prasad Anand
doctoral student, biology

Current Research: "I am investigating the biological phenomena behind several DNA expansion diseases such as Huntington's disease and Spinocerebellar Ataxias."

Why Tufts: "The single most important factor that makes Tufts a great place to work is the incredible sense of collegiality that exists amongst the researchers irrespective of their official status; be it a student or a faculty member. This holds especially true for the biology department. The sense of collegiality is so much so that the department feels as if it is a big family of biologists. My Tufts graduate experience has helped me do away with my old mentality of working in isolation. It has taught me that scientific collaboration can be truly rewarding, and that great advances in science are brought about only when there is a confluence of ideas from various fields."

The Tufts Difference: "I value the teaching assistantship that the biology department offered me as the most influential factor in my development as a professional researcher. I owe any improvement in my communication and presentation skills to the assistantship."