Faculty Profile

Rachel Bonnette.

Rachel Bonnette

Assistant Professor
Engineering Education
rnbonnet@buffalo.edu

Education:

  • PhD, Learning Sciences and Policy, University of Pittsburgh, 2015

Professional experience:

  • Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Learning and Instruction, University at Buffalo

What mentoring means to me:

Mentoring, to me, means reminding students that they are a whole person, not pieces separate from the life that happens outside of campus, and that this is both a good thing and a tool they can use in their research, but also that there are ways to work with and build from the challenges we experience. I am especially interested in working with neurodivergent students (or students who think they might benefit from a neurodivergent mentor) because I want to be able to share my experiences and the tools I have for managing the expectations of graduate school with them.

Topics I am willing to discuss with students:

Academic Culture

  • Considering a non-academic path after grad school.
  • Dealing with politics and conflict with faculty or peers.
  • Decoding and demystifying academic culture and norms.
  • Taking a non-traditional path to grad school.
  • Uncertainty about staying in grad school.

Personal Experiences

  • Caregiving for children.
  • Caregiving for other loved ones.
  • Experiences related to being a woman.
  • Experiences related to class and/or socioeconomic status.
  • Experiences related to physical health and/or abilities.
  • Experiences related to mental health and/or abilities.
  • Experiences related to racial, ethnic, cultural and/or religious minority status.
  • Experiences related to sexual and/or gender minority status.
  • Financial stress and strain.

While I think that I could speak to all the above categories, I am especially focused on neurodivergent inclusion and overcoming the barriers we experience in our daily lives.

Other Topics

I think the frustration of having any kind of disability while in graduate school is a difficult conversation to have with those who do not share that experience; difficulty meeting deadlines, keeping up with reading, or managing your health needs while also trying to keep up with work do not diminish your value or ability to succeed. But, you may need additional support figuring out tools, tips and tricks for coping and balancing who you are and what you can do with the real barriers you experience.