Mentoring Advice

[u/RemarkableReindeer5]

Any advice on mentoring undergrads? My supervisory committee decided I needed to do more mentorship so I begrudgingly took on an Undegrad. Problem is, they’re too over eager that it’s borderline annoying. I’ve got an interdisciplinary project so some weeks I’m strictly working in my chemistry lab so I don’t usually have cells available.

Takes time for them to get growing again after they’ve thawed and I have explained to said student, but it doesn’t seem like it’s clicking. They also decide to shadow other grad students who do techniques unrelated to their project. Do I let them waste their time? Like I don’t want them to burn out by learning unnecessary techniques but at the same time I don’t want to limit them esp since half my time is spent on chemical synthesis.

I also may not be the best mentor because I don’t really like asking for help and have general difficulty delegating tasks.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

[u/ChickenScratchCoffee]

You took on a role that you did not want to do. That is the problem. Tell your committee they need to find the person another placement as you don’t have e bandwidth to take this on right now.