Mentoring—the act of imparting knowledge while encouraging independence and self-confidence—can be transformative for both mentee and mentor. January happens to be National Mentoring Month, and each year Scripps Research honors a faculty member and a trainee mentor at its annual Mentor Award Ceremony.
Hosted jointly by Scripps Research’s Society of Fellows, the Summer Program for Application Mentorship team and the Career and Professional Development Office, the program solicits nominations from the entire campus community, then diverse committees of students, postdocs, faculty and staff evaluate submissions and select awardees.
This year, the Award for Trainee Mentorship went to Rose Hill, a postdoctoral scholar in the lab of Professor Ardem Patapoutian, and the Outstanding Mentor Award went to Alejandra Mendoza, an assistant professor in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology.
In kicking off the awards ceremony on January 16, 2025, Professor Gabriel Lander, last year’s Outstanding Mentor Award recipient, said, “We’re celebrating the notable mentors who take time out of their schedule and their research to train others and mentor them along their research path.” Then, noting that there were 23 nominees for the first award, for trainee mentors, he remarked this “really speaks to the caliber of mentorship we have at Scripps Research.”
Undergraduate intern Sepenta Shirvan, a pre-med student at UCSD, and Patapoutian, who jointly nominated Hill, took the stage to talk about Hill’s contributions before presenting her with the award.
In his nominating letter, Patapoutian wrote, “Rose is an exceptional young investigator—brilliant, creative, generous, and incredibly hard-working…She has a deep talent and passion for mentorship [and] I have personally witnessed her advocacy for her trainees, providing both scientific and personal support. Additionally, she has been instrumental in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion at Scripps Research. Rose’s approach to mentoring is marked by an unwavering dedication to her trainees’ growth and success, and it has been a privilege to observe her impact firsthand.”
Lander then invited graduate students Abeera Mehmood and Keishla Sanchez Ortiz, who jointly nominated Mendoza, to the stage to present her with the award.
“Dr. Mendoza’s mentorship has transformed my PhD experience,” said Mehmood. “Her ability to combine scientific brilliance with patience and empathy stands out. She makes every question feel valuable, turns challenges into learning opportunities and is deeply invested in our success.”
Sanchez Ortiz continued with accolades for Mendoza. “She embodies all the qualities a mentor should have,” she said. “She is brilliant as a scientist and manager; she treats everyone with respect and kindness. She is open to hearing different points of view, and most importantly, she cares about her trainees’ success beyond Scripps Research.”
Scripps Research congratulates all of the nominees for this year’s Mentor Awards. The example they set and the enduring impact they have on all of the institute’s scientists-in-training cannot be understated, and we are grateful for their care and commitment.
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