Lindsey Chew
Dean’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring
M.D./Ph.D. Candidate in Ophthalmology/Cell and Molecular Biology
Bio
Lindsey A. Chew is an M.D./Ph.D. Candidate in the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) and Department of Ophthalmology. She earned a B.S. in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science from the University of Arizona in 2018.
Chew’s research in the Bowes Rickman lab as a Pre-Doctoral Fellow focuses on investigating pre-clinical models of age-related macular degeneration and developing potential gene therapy targets, while her research in the Vajzovic lab as a Clinical Research Assistant surrounds the feasibility of pediatric retinal imaging as part of routine screening.
Over the course of her program, Chew has found numerous ways to act as a mentor. She has served as a teaching assistant in the Department of Neurobiology; chaired the finance team and mentored in the Building Opportunities and Overtures in Science and Technology (BOOST) Beyond program, which supports Durham Public School students in extending their engagement in science into post-secondary education (notably, BOOST Beyond received the 2024 Dean’s Award for Inclusive Excellence in Graduate Education); mentored applicants to medical school; and completed requirements for the Certificate in College Teaching.
Chew’s commitment to mentorship is evident through her mentees’ reflections on her ability to help them to develop and use skills that start them on promising paths.
On Mentoring
What does a successful mentoring relationship look like? How do you build such a relationship?
In a successful mentoring relationship, both mentor and mentee are learning from each other and investing in the relationship holistically. Mentorship is often geared towards professional development, but we are more than the work we produce, and our personal lives often influence our professional goals and our mindset. The best mentorship creates space for mentees to bring applicable aspects of their personal lives into the mentoring relationship, and I believe this maximizes a mentor’s ability to understand their mentee and to identify the best strategies to support them in reaching their goals.
What is something you have done as a mentor that you are really proud of?
I am most proud to be able to say that my mentees are some of the most genuine and talented people that I know. It is a privilege to have mentored them and to have played even a small part in propelling them to their next step. Apart from this, I am most proud of combining mentorship and leadership to ensure the sustainability of community initiatives that I have been involved with. For example, as a mentor with BOOST (Building Opportunities and Overtures in Science and Technology) Beyond at Duke, I worked with several Durham Public High School students who were the first in their family to apply for college. To ensure that the program would be sustainable, I led substantial fundraising initiatives and passed key resources and processes onto BOOST Beyond’s next leaders. It is important to build something that can stand on its own after you pass the baton, and I also apply this to mentorship, where I hope to equip my mentees for more independence and to mentor others in the future.
How do graduate students benefit from serving as mentors?
Graduate students will inevitably become faculty and industry leaders who work with students or junior team members. Starting to develop mentoring skills early on gives us more opportunities to grow as mentors and practice nuanced good communication and servant leadership. You wouldn’t expect to run an experiment perfectly the first time, and you can’t expect to be the perfect mentor the first time. Nurturing strong mentorship requires dedication and commitment to mentees over time.
In Their Words
Excerpts from Chew’s nomination
“Lindsey has a remarkable talent for recognizing potential in young researchers even before they recognize it in themselves. She takes time to understand each student’s academic strengths, personal motivations, and long-term aspirations, and she thoughtfully matches them with opportunities and collaborators who can help them thrive… Her ability to connect meaningfully with students and help them chart a rewarding academic path speaks directly to the heart of what this award honors.”
“Lindsey took the time to understand my goals and ambitions. Together, we outlined a clear plan for how I could make the most of my time in the lab—identifying potential conferences, exploring project ideas, and setting milestones for growth. Her structured yet flexible approach helped me navigate a new research environment with confidence and purpose.”
“She has a rare ability to make students feel at home in a research environment, and her enthusiasm for the field of ophthalmology is unmistakable. That same enthusiasm quickly became my own, and her guidance helped me realize that ophthalmology was the specialty I hoped to devote my career to.”