Extraordinary mentoring is the bedrock upon which great educational programs are built. Scripps Research’s postdoctoral scholars, graduate students and interns benefit from one-on-one training, professional development and consistent encouragement.

This spirit of education and inspiration was celebrated earlier this year during the campus’ annual Mentorship Month, featuring special events and workshops for the campus community.

On January 12, Scripps Research’s Career and Professional Development Office kicked off the 2026 Alumni Mentorship Program by naming the newest cohort of nearly three dozen pairs of Scripps Research alumni and current students and postdocs. Going on its fourth year, the program pairs current grad students and postdocs with alumni of the institute’s education and training programs. Mentors and mentees meet several times to discuss topics, such as career paths and transitions, goal setting, building a professional network, strategies for success in grad school or postdoctoral training, tips for informational interviews and more. Since the program’s start, more than 160 pairs of alumni and current trainees have been made, providing a valuable resource for our students and postdocs as they prepare to launch their careers.

A key highlight of Mentorship Month is a ceremony that shines the spotlight on those individuals who exemplify the impact that mentorship can have on the lives and career paths of trainees. For more than a decade, Scripps Research’s annual Mentor Awards Ceremony has honored a faculty member with the Outstanding Mentor Award (OMA), based on nominations from students and postdocs across campus. More recently, a second award was created—the Award for Trainee Mentorship—to recognize outstanding mentoring by a graduate student or postdoc, based on nominations from fellow students and trainees.

The 2025 awards were announced in January to a packed audience in the campus’ Keck Auditorium. The ceremony kicked off with emcee Professor Luke Wiseman, the Berwyn Maple Endowed Chair, reading off the names of the 11 postdocs and graduate students nominated for the Award for Trainee Mentorship. With great enthusiasm and a bit of personal pride, he announced that Alexandra “Alex” Salazar, a graduate student jointly mentored by Wiseman and Professor Gabriel Lander, was the recipient of the 2025 Award for Trainee Mentorship.

“Alex has been my closest mentor for the past two years, and her mentorship has been foundational to my development as a scientist,” said Cecilia Marie Aban, a research intern who nominated her for the award. “As a champion EM (electron microscopy) instructor, her teaching promotes fearless experimentation and collaboration across the Wiseman and Lander labs, shaping their mentorship culture. Her accomplishments have become a reference point for outreach and impact in the Lander lab and broader Scripps Research community, grounded in an unwavering belief in others and a genuine commitment to building a kind scientific community.”

Moving on to the Outstanding Mentor Award portion of the program, emcee Wiseman, who was an OMA recipient in 2019, caused a bit of a stir when he announced that, for the first time, a tie meant that two faculty members would be honored this year. To great applause, Wiseman revealed Assistant Professor Shannon Miller and Associate Professor Michael Constantinides were the 2025 Outstanding Mentor Award recipients.

“Having experienced her mentorship firsthand, we can confidently say that Shannon is a remarkable mentor who embodies the qualities of leadership, empathy and passion that this award represents,” said Nadine Berenst, a graduate student in Miller’s lab and one of several lab members who nominated her for the award. “Shannon’s enthusiasm for science is contagious. She takes the time to teach, guide and learn alongside her trainees. Even though we all come from different scientific backgrounds, she ensures that each of us has the opportunity to develop the skills and confidence we need to thrive.”

Graduate student Gabrielle Leblanc and postdoctoral scholar Viviane Agbogan both nominated Mike Constantinides for the 2025 Outstanding Mentor Award. “I nominated Mike because he leads with trust, generosity and genuine care, giving me the freedom to develop my own research ideas while always making himself available for discussion and guidance,” said Agbogan. Leblanc concurred, adding, “Mike has been so supportive and has created a truly encouraging learning environment.”