Princeton Physics Mentorship (PPM)

Program Description

The Physics department sponsors a mentorship program every semester for the benefit of physics-interested and physics-concentrating undergraduates. PPM is jointly administered by postdoctoral, graduate, and undergraduate members of the Physics EDI Undergraduate Recruiting Working Group (URWG), the Princeton Society of Physics Students (PSPS), and Towards an Inclusive Community of Undergraduate Physicists (TiCuP). The goal of PPM is twofold: (1) deliver a personalized, long-term, and natural support system to undergraduates and (2) foster a welcoming and inclusive Physics department, ultimately leading to greater departmental representation by traditionally underrepresented groups.

PPM facilitates matching of undergraduates (mentees) to one or two more senior members (mentors) of the Princeton physics community. Mentees may express preferences for a match based on an array of criteria, including academic interests and self-identification information. Any undergraduate can sign up as a mentee; however, juniors and seniors in the Physics department may also sign up to be mentors to underclassmen. Graduate students and postdocs may only register as mentors. PPM opens registration to interested mentees and mentors at the beginning of every semester. Based on mentee match preferences and mentor availability, matches are assigned shortly thereafter. A mentee may have one or multiple mentors, and a mentor may have one or multiple mentees. Finally, participants may be placed in groups of multiple mentees and mentors together, also in accordance with participant preferences.

Mentees and mentors are expected to meet as needed to satisfy the desires of the undergraduate mentees. There are no requirements or limitations to the scope of conversation topics, so long as they are physics-oriented and professional (see the Code of Conduct Policy). PPM offers programming and resources to participants during the semester, including events for mentees and mentors, discussion starters, and mentorship guides. Participants are also encouraged to take part in all other EDI programming. At the conclusion of the semester, mentees and mentors are given the option to maintain their current match assignment for the following semester.

For up-to-date event and contact information, sign-up forms, and other details, please visit the main PPM webpage.

Code of Conduct Policy

PPM participants are expected to adhere to the Physics department code of conduct at all times. Mentees and mentors should report any violations of the code of conduct to any member of the EDI board, or any PPM administrator (contact info available on the main PPM webpage), in addition to appropriate Princeton offices or authorities.

Violations brought to either the EDI board, or PPM directly, will be discussed by the EDI board and PPM together. If further escalation is required, the violation will be brought to the Physics department Grievance Committee, which consists of the department chair, department manager, department representative, director of graduate studies, and EDI board chair.