(L-R) Dr. Alexia Angton (McNair Alum '13), Taea Bonner (McNair Alum '20), Dr. Matthew Delisi (Distinguished Professor, Sociology)
McNair Faculty Mentors at Iowa State are invested in their McNair Scholar's confidence, competence and credibility and:
- Demonstrate a genuine interest in the McNair Scholar’s future and belief in the student’s abilities and potential to succeed in graduate school
- Empower and support the McNair Scholar in their research and academic endeavors
- Expose the McNair Scholar to opportunities that may help strengthen their graduate school application portfolio
Consider becoming a McNair Faculty Mentor. Complete the McNair Faculty Mentor Interest form.
If you know a student that would be a good fit for the McNair Program at Iowa State, please use the McNair Student Nomination form to submit their name.
Have questions about being a faculty mentor for the McNair Program? Click here for answers to some FAQs.
Faculty Mentor of the Year Award
Each year, we ask our McNair Scholars to nominate Faculty Mentors for the Faculty Mentor of the Year Award.
The winner is awarded during the Iowa State University Annual McNair Research Symposium and Banquet held each year in April. In their nominations, Scholars respond to the following questions:
- Why do you feel your mentor is deserving of this recognition?
- How has your mentoring relationship impacted you and prepared you for graduate school, personally and professionally?
Our Past Recipients
2024: Dr. Joe Charbonnet, Assistant Professor, Civil, construction, & Environmental Engineering (McNair Scholar mentee: Edson Lopez)
2023: Dr. Nathaniel Wade, Professor of Psychology, Associate Department Chair (McNair Scholar mentee: Derrick Garth Jr.)
2022: Dr. Dipali Sashital, Associate Professor, Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology (McNair Scholar mentee: Aline Milach Teixeira)
2021: Dr. Jaime Juarez, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering (McNair Scholar mentee: Antonio Alvarez Valdivia)
2020: Dr. Matthew Delisi, Distinguished Professor of Sociology (McNair Scholar mentee: Taea Bonner)
2019: Dr. Michelle Soupir, Associate Professor of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (McNair Scholar mentee: Alexis Slade)
2018: Dr. Leonor Leandro, Associate Professor of Plant Pathology and Microbiology (McNair Scholar mentee: Cristian Olmos)
2017: Dr. Ganesh Balasubramanian, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering (McNair Scholar mentee: Mouhamad Diallo)
2016: Dr. Ryan Smith, Assistant Professor of Entomology (McNair Scholar mentee: Andrew Guinness)
2015: Dr. Donald Sakaguchi, Morrill Professor of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology (McNair Scholar mentee: Debbie Lincow)
2014: Dr. Clark Coffman, Associate Professor of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology (McNair Scholar mentee: Jasmine Anderson)
We appreciate our outstanding Faculty Mentors for their commitment to our McNair Scholars and program!