Fulkerson named CTSI’s Mentor of the Year

The Clinical and Translational Science Institute named Professor Jayne Fulkerson, PhD, Mentor of the Year. Mentors were evaluated based on their research guidance, motivational skills, insight to career development, training record and their personal research accomplishments.

Fulkerson’s work focuses on family-based health promotion, particularly interventions that aim to reduce childhood obesity by actively engaging the whole family in promoting healthful behaviors in the home. She considers research mentorship of students, postdoctoral fellows and early-career faculty one of her key roles at the University of Minnesota, and she serves on numerous committees and programs as a leader and faculty mentor including CTSI’s Translational Research and Career Training (TRACT) TL1 and Translational Research Development Program (TRDP) Programs.

“I have had many intimate conversations with her on navigating the Ivory Tower, but most notably, she has been a sounding board and literally a shoulder to cry on when the social pressures of being a Black woman in academia coupled with the racial injustices of this world became too much for me to handle. Jayne empathized and supported, which is exactly what I needed.”

In her nomination, Fulkerson was described as someone who is respected and approachable, leading those around her to seek her formal and informal mentorship throughout her career. One of her strongest skills, which mentees often sought her expertise on, is maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Excerpts from Fulkerson’s nomination

“I have observed Jayne intentionally and effectively integrate junior faculty into her program of research to develop research skills, guide career development, and create opportunities for manuscript and grant contributions that support career trajectory. This has contributed to a broader culture of a collaborative team science within the School of Nursing.”

“I have had many intimate conversations with her on navigating the Ivory Tower, but most notably, she has been a sounding board and literally a shoulder to cry on when the social pressures of being a Black woman in academia coupled with the racial injustices of this world became too much for me to handle. Jayne empathized and supported, which is exactly what I needed.”