Janice Pata, Director of the Division of Scientific Cores at the Wadsworth Center, advanced the longstanding educational partnership between the New York State Department of Health and the University at Albany during the 2025–2026 academic year by facilitating the nationally recognized Entering Mentoring program for the first time at the university. Developed by the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research, Entering Mentoring is an evidence-based, highly interactive curriculum designed to strengthen mentoring effectiveness across all career stages by promoting intentional, inclusive, and supportive mentoring practices.
The inaugural cohort included nine professors from the University at Albany Departments of Biomedical Sciences, Biological Sciences, and Nanoscale Science and Engineering, including three Wadsworth Center research scientists affiliated with the Department of Biomedical Sciences. The program focused on key themes critical to successful scientific mentoring relationships: effective communication, aligning expectations, fostering inclusion, supporting trainee independence, and promoting professional development.
Dr. Pata also contributed to several complementary mentoring and workforce development initiatives this spring. She served as primary facilitator for sessions on “Mentoring” and “Difficult Discussions” in the Wadsworth Center Leadership Academy and co-instructed the Becoming a Resilient Scientist course at the University at Albany alongside Marlene Belfort, Distinguished Professor, and member of the National Academy of Sciences. Following Dr. Belfort’s retirement later this year, Dr. Pata will assume leadership of the course in future years.
Building on these efforts, Dr. Pata will extend mentor and mentee training opportunities this summer through the Wadsworth Center Public Health Laboratory Academy. The program will incorporate elements from Entering Mentoring, Becoming a Resilient Scientist, and Entering Research, another evidence-based curriculum that focuses on research skills, research ethics, scientific identity, and confidence-building for trainees.
Together, these initiatives represent a significant investment in the future of New York State’s scientific and public health workforce. These efforts further reinforce the strategic partnership between the Department of Health and the University at Albany while positioning New York State as a leader in training the next generation of public health laboratory scientists and research professionals.