Training and Mentoring | CDI

Caswell Diabetes Institute Mentee-Mentor Awards Program

The Caswell Diabetes Institute (CDI) recognizes that effective mentoring is vital to advancing diabetes, obesity, nutrition, and metabolism research by fostering a community of excellence, collaboration, and inspiration. Mentors provide invaluable guidance and support, shaping the next generation of researchers, while mentees bring fresh ideas and enthusiasm that drive innovation. The CDI Mentee-Mentor Awards Program celebrates outstanding mentors and mentees who exemplify excellence, leadership, and inclusivity, reinforcing our commitment to a thriving, supportive research community and motivating continued engagement across all levels.

Objectives  

• Recognize and celebrate exceptional contributions in training, research, and mentorship.
• Promote the values of collaboration, skill development, and inclusivity within diabetes, metabolism, nutrition, and obesity research.
• Inspire participants to uphold high standards in research, leadership, and mentorship.
• Highlight the impact of effective training and mentoring on advancing diabetes prevention, treatment, and care.

Award Categories

1. Outstanding Mentee Award  
For undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, or junior faculty participants demonstrating excellence in leadership, collaboration, and/or community engagement within diabetes or obesity research.

2. Distinguished Mentor Award  
For faculty and staff mentors demonstrating exceptional commitment to supporting trainees’ career development, fostering inclusive and effective mentoring relationships, and enhancing the CDI learning community.

3. Peer Mentor Recognition Award
For trainees who have significantly contributed to the peer mentorship and collective growth of their cohort. <

4. Community Engagement, Outreach and Service Award 
For individuals who have made notable contributions through outreach activities, such as high school nutrition education or public engagement initiatives or service to the community.

Eligibility 
Open to all CDI-affiliated mentee and mentors actively participating in CDI Training and Mentoring Program activities.

Nominations 
Nominations require a succinct statement (500 words or less) highlighting nominees’ achievements and impact, supported by relevant documentation (e.g., mentorship examples, outreach activities, research accomplishments). Multiple nominators are encouraged to collaborate on a single application if they are nominating the same person. Peer and self-nominations accepted.

Criteria 
Demonstrated excellence in mentorship, collaboration, inclusive practice, and/or community outreach, as outlined per award category.

Award Benefits 

• Awards Ceremony and Public Acknowledgment
• Certificate of achievement and small monetary award
• Highlighted profiles on CDI’s website, newsletters, and social media outlets
• Opportunities to participate as peer mentors or speakers at future CDI events

The nomination deadline for 2026 has ended.

F31/32 Grant Writing Series

These workshops assist with crafting and peer reviewing personal statements, career development plans and research plans.

If interested in future Grant Writing workshops, please email [email protected]

The Career Development Series provides trainees and early-career researchers with opportunities to explore diverse career pathways, develop professional skills, and gain insights from experienced leaders across academia, industry, government, and healthcare. Through engaging presentations, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, participants gain practical knowledge and guidance to support their long-term career success.This group meets on the 4th Friday from 12-1 at NCRC. To learn more information and/or to join our emailing list, please email [email protected]

Below are our upcoming meeting times for the 2026 year.

Dynamic Immune Cell Composition, Phenotypes, and Signaling in an Engineered Metastatic Niche Pereles RS Orbach SM Rebecca Sage Pereles

2026-06-25

Calorie restriction and exercise differentially regulate AMP-activated protein kinase across subcellular compartments in skeletal muscle from older male rats Wang H Cartee GD 

2026-06-23

Untargeted metabolomics reveals effects of calorie restriction on skeletal muscle in older female and male rats Wang H Cartee GD Huilun Wang

2026-06-23

TCF7L2 promotes abdominal aortic aneurysm through smooth muscle cell-mediated extracellular matrix remodeling Deng Y Zhang J Jie Zhang

2026-06-22

Substrate for Thyroid Hormone Synthesis: Biochemistry, Evolution, and Physiology

Young C Arvan P Crystal Young

2026-06-22

Thyroid Hormone Synthesis Without Thyroglobulin Young C Arvan P Crystal Young

2026-06-19

Natural history of pituitary incidentalomas in pediatric patients: a single-center, retrospective analysis Waselewski AC Garton HJL Alexander Charles Waselewski

2026-06-16

SEL1L-HRD1 ER-associated degradation facilitates prohormone convertase 2 maturation and glucagon production in islet α cells Zhu W Reinert RB Wenzhen Zhu

2026-06-13

Effects of Vagal Nerve Stimulation on Rectal Tone and Distal Colon Transit in Rats Mediated via the Vagal-Sacral Pathway Li Y Chen JDZ Yuan Li

2026-06-13

Longitudinal monitoring of type 1 diabetes progression to disease onset King JL Shea LD Jessica Lynn King

2026-06-11

Seeking the Mechanism for Reversal of Enhanced Insulin Sensitivity After Acute Exercise Wang H Cartee GD Huilun Wang

2026-06-10

Modulation of accumbens dopamine by MCH neurons during learning and consummatory behavior Potter LE Burgess CR Liam E Potter

2026-06-10

Regulatory B cells contribute to allergen-encapsulating nanoparticle immunotherapy efficacy for food allergy Rad LM Shea LD

2026-06-09

A reference panel for linkage disequilibrium and genotype imputation using whole-genome sequencing data from 2,680 participants across India Li Z Kardia SLR Zexin Li

2026-06-07

Mitophagy in the adaptation to pancreatic β cell stress in diabetes Levi-D'Ancona E Soleimanpour SA Elena Levi-D'Ancona

2026-06-03

LINKS

• CIMER – Center for Improved Mentored Experiences in Research https://cimerproject.org/
• MyIDP  https://myidp.sciencecareers.org/
• MORE – Mentoring Others in Research Excellence 
  https://rackham.umich.edu/faculty-and-staff/resources-for-directors/mentoring/ 
   

MENTORING AGREEMENTS

For undergrads:  Blank sheet  or  Template

For grad students:

For clinical fellows:

Basic Mechanisms of Diabetes Postdoctoral T32 MEND

MSCA European Postdoc Fellowships

UAB Postdoc T32 in Obesity Research

TOS Awards for Dissertations/MS Theses

Michigan Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (M-SURE)