Paul McKee
Dean’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring
Ph.D. Candidate, Psychology & Neuroscience
Bio
Paul McKee is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, expected to earn his doctorate in 2026. McKee is also currently working toward an Executive Master in Business Administration in the Fuqua School of Business, expected in 2027. He earned his M.S. in Interdisciplinary Data Science at Duke in 2024, and his B.S. in Psychology: Behavioral Neuroscience at Southern Connecticut State University in 2021.
For McKee, mentoring is a relationship built through trust and sustained investment. McKee’s mentorship roles have benefited undergraduate students, graduate students, post-baccalaureate trainees, and high school students across multiple programs at Duke and beyond.
Mentees describe McKee as both highly knowledgeable and deeply accessible. He guides students through the full research process, from study design and analysis to writing and presentation, while encouraging independence and intellectual confidence. His mentoring emphasizes skill development alongside personal and professional growth.
McKee is a highly-cited academic researcher, with more than 320 citations, and he has earned significant funding through grants and fellowships to fund his research. His research focuses on the neural mechanisms underlying moral judgments and decision making, social decision making, implicit bias, motivation, and other higher cognitive functions.
On Mentoring
What does a successful mentoring relationship look like? How do you build such a relationship?
A successful mentoring relationship is one in which everyone involved is better for having been part of it. How such relationships form varies. Some develop quickly, some involve friction, and some deepen over time, but they share a common core. Just as the grass is green where you choose to water it, so too are strong relationships built. Strong mentoring relationships are built intentionally. They require sustained investment, mutual respect, empathy, and clear communication. They also rely on trust: an understanding that not everything will go as planned, but that challenges will be approached collaboratively and in good faith. Like any relationship worth having, successful mentoring grows where consistent attention and care are given.
What is something you have done as a mentor that you are really proud of?
I am most proud when I help a mentee move closer to their goals and see their own potential clearly. Above all, I am proud of the people I have mentored for having the courage to pursue what matters to them. What we accomplish together looks different for everyone: a first research project, a first conference presentation, a publication, or preparing competitive applications for graduate, professional, or fellowship programs. Outcomes vary, but my pride does not. What matters most is the effort, growth, and trust they bring to the process. Being entrusted with that journey is a privilege I take seriously.
How do graduate students benefit from serving as mentors?
Graduate students benefit from mentoring in ways that extend far beyond skill development. There is a deep fulfillment that comes from contributing to someone else’s growth and success. At the same time, mentoring strengthens core capacities like clear communication, teaching, leadership, and accountability. These skills carry across academic, professional, and personal contexts. Most importantly, mentoring cultivates a sense of responsibility to others. I believe we have a moral obligation to not just seek opportunities to mentor, but to invest fully in each person we mentor, because the impact we have on others will long outlast any single project, publication, or even a career's worth of science. I'm not sure there is any other aspect of graduate training (or life) that is as enduring or meaningful.
In Others’ Words
Tributes from mentees and colleagues
“Paul also models organization, accountability, and genuine investment in his mentees’ success. Despite his demanding schedule and wide range of projects, he sets fair expectations, provides the tools needed to meet them, and communicates clearly about timelines and goals. He strikes an ideal balance, pushing me to grow while ensuring I never feel overwhelmed or unsupported. His consistency has been especially impactful: he checks in regularly, follows up on my progress, and responds quickly and thoroughly to questions.”
“He has been a mentor, advocate, and trusted guide throughout my undergraduate experience, and his support has been central to my growth as a researcher.”