Computational Biology Peer Mentor Network (2026-2029)
The three-year Computational Biology Peer Mentor Network (CompBioPMN) will bring together about 20 faculty from primarily undergraduate institutions involved in computational biology teaching and/or research. The goal of the program is to improve faculty’s connections to the discipline, reduce their isolation at small institutions, and equip them with career advancement strategies for their next steps. Participants will join two in-person workshops and one virtual workshop.
What you will do: over the course of three years, participants of the CompBioPMN will:
- Meet faculty at other undergraduate-focused institutions who teach and do research at the intersection of biology and computer science/mathematics. There will be two in-person workshops in the summers of 2026 (Portland, OR, Aug 3-4) and 2028 (Location TBD).
- Participate in monthly cohort-building virtual meetings with a small group of faculty (Alliance groups) during the academic years 2026/27 and 2027/28. The informal meetings are designed for alliance groups to develop mentoring relationships throughout the academic year.
- Clarify individual career goals and learn how to make progress towards those goals. There will be a career coaching session as part of a virtual workshop in the summer of 2027.
- Learn about and share educational resources for teaching and undergraduate research mentoring (e.g., through ). There will be a focus on computational image analysis for some materials, but it is not required that participants make use of them.
The CompBioPMN is designed to be flexible, and topics will be shaped by the participants' interests and goals. It is organized by Anna Ritz, a professor at Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³, and is funded by the National Science Foundation through the Division of Biological Infrastructure.
Overview & Timeline
| August 3 & 4, 2026 | In-Person Workshop, Portland, OR | Introductory in-person workshop to introduce participants to the CompBioPMN, build rapport with alliance partners, and learn about teaching resources. |
| Academic Year 2026-2027 | Monthly Alliance Meetings | Alliance groups will consist of approximately 5 faculty in the CompBioPMN. They will meet virtually every month. |
| Summer 2027 | Virtual Workshop | Virtual professional development workshop, with a special session on career coaching facilitated by . |
| Academic Year 2027-2028 | Monthly Alliance Meetings | Alliance groups will consist of approximately 5 faculty in the CompBioPMN. They will meet virtually every month. |
| Summer 2028 | In-Person Workshop, location TBD | Final in-person workshop addressing emergent needs (informed by participant feedback). |
Participant Eligibility
The CompBioPMN is designed for faculty at primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs) within the United States who teach some combination of biology and computational concepts.- Participants may include faculty in the sciences who use bioinformatics and computational biology tools in their teaching and research, or faculty in computer science / math who use applications to biology in their teaching and research.
- The CompBioPMN is intended for faculty teaching at small or under-resourced institutions. This includes liberal arts schools, community colleges, and small public institutions who primarily serve undergraduates.
- Faculty at all career stage levels (pre-tenure, tenured, and visiting) are encouraged to apply. If there are many applications, early-career (pre-tenure or visiting) faculty and recently-tenured faculty will be prioritized because of the career development training.
Commitment and Compensation
Participants are expected to attend two in-person workshops the summers of 2026 and 2028. There is no registration fee, lodging will be covered, and meals for the two days of the workshop will be covered. Additional funds may be available to cover travel costs for those who need it.
Participants are expected to attend a virtual workshop in summer 2027. They will be given $200 stipends for attending the virtual workshop.
Participants are expected to virtually meet with their Alliance on a monthly basis throughout the academic years 2026/27 and 2027/28. These meetings will continue the network-building and goal-setting efforts from the workshops, and will help provide informal support during the school years.
Finally, participants must complete occasional surveys about the effectiveness and outcomes of the CompBioPMN, clarification or progress on individual career goals, and engagement with educational resources.
How to Apply
Fill out the brief application by Friday, May 1, 2026 for consideration; participants will be notified on or before Friday, May 16, 2026.
Application Link: TBD (will be posted by the end of February)
Email Anna at aritz@reed.edu if you have any questions.
Additional Resources and Information
The CompBioPMN is inspired by , a regional peer-to-peer mentoring network for mid-career women STEM faculty and administrators.
Previous workshops for comptuational biology faculty in the liberal arts were held in summer 2023 in Oregon and in .
The BioQUEST offers additional support to share and improve open education resources.
There is a very active Slack workspace, courtesy of April Wright at Southeastern Louisiana University.
aritz-at-reed-dot-edu
Curriculum Vitae 