The 3rd Annual Speed Mentoring Event 

Monday, February 3 from 16:30 – 17:30
4th Floor Pool Deck

This event is designed for people interested in a career change, students, fellows and newer researchers who want to access a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet with a wide variety of leaders and icons from the lysosomal and rare disease space. Whether a mentee is seeking a younger mentor who has recently started their career, or wants to connect with someone with years of experience, there are mentors with every level and area of expertise.

Complimentary headshot photos will be available to all registered attendees. All appointments will be pre-scheduled and space will be limited.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Speed Mentoring Event & Complimentary Headshots

Monday, February 3, 2025, from 16:30 – 17:30
4th Floor Pool Deck

The Top 5 things attendees and mentors had to say about the 2024 Speed Mentoring Program:

  1. That was SO MUCH FUN!
  2. Please have this session again!
  3. I learned so much in just 5 minutes with each person. That was incredible!
  4. I met amazing people I never would have met otherwise.
  5. The mentors were so nice; I would definitely do this again!

Not sure what to ask?

Below are some questions you may want to consider for your mentor interactions:

  • What characteristics do you look for in a new fellow/postdoc/employee/etc.?
  • If you could give one piece of job hunting advice to new graduates, what would it be?
  • What was instrumental for you in landing your first professional job?
  • What has been your most rewarding accomplishment?
  • What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess?
  • What is one mistake you witness leaders making more frequently than others?
  • What is the one behavior or trait that you have seen derail more leaders’ careers?
  • What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?
  • If you could do it all again, what would you do differently?
  • What’s the best advice you can give to help plan a career rather than simply work to keep a job?
  • Do you have a mentor? How have they influenced you?
  • How and where do you find inspiration?
  • As a leader, what opportunities have you chosen to participate in, and what have you turned down when it comes to being involved in the community?
  • What talents or strengths do you rely on most in your daily life as a leader?
  • What’s the biggest mistake you ever made? What did you learn from it?
  • What would you say to any (state your role here: student, fellow, post-doc, physician, etc.) just starting out in lysosomal disease research/treatment?

These are just suggestions to help you think about your goals for the event. Preparing your questions in advance will help maximize the benefit from your discussions!

Past Mentors

A big thank you to all of the past mentors, from many different backgrounds and areas of expertise, who have helped make this annual event so successful. View Past Mentors Here.

Complimentary Headshot Photos

This incredible and FREE opportunity is available to all registered attendees, during the Speed Mentoring Event. First priority will be given to mentors and registered mentees. All other WORLDSymposium attendees are welcome to take advantage of this offering. Photos will be taken in the order of arrival for the photo queue. Your professional headshot photo will be emailed to you with a few days. Attendees are encouraged to wear business professional attire. 

Sign Up for Speed Mentoring

Get connected – stay connected! Speed Mentoring connects aspiring, novice and mid-career scientists and research professionals with international leaders to share experiences and provide valuable insights for professional growth. Our mentors are still in contact with mentees from previous years.

The 3rd Annual Speed Mentoring Event features 35 outstanding leaders with diverse backgrounds and a wide variety of expertise. Check out their Bios here to begin scheduling appointments with your top mentor selections.

The Mentee Registration Form is at the bottom of this page. All appointments will be pre-scheduled and space is limited. Available mentor spots will fill up quickly.

The deadline for signing up has been EXTENDED to January 10, 2025 (or until appointment spaces are filled, whichever comes first).

The Speed Mentoring event is made possible by the generous support of the event sponsor. Exhibitor Prospectus, including event sponsorship opportunities are available here.