Science Mentors ACT 2026

Published in the Research School of Physics Event Horizon
Vol50 Issue48 1–5 December 2025

Commitment: 

• Average time involved: Students typically meet with their mentors once a fortnight for guidance with their investigation, but the frequency and timing of the meetings are negotiated with the student and the convenor. Between meetings, students are to keep in weekly email contact with their mentor.
• Location: In-person meetings can be booked in at our northside (UC SSC Lake Ginninderra) or southside (Melrose HS) locations. These are typically held after school hours on a Monday, Tuesday or Thursday afternoon. Online meetings can be arranged when in-person meetings aren’t required. The Science Mentors ACT Convenor is present at all meetings so that educational feedback and advice is readily available if needed. Each mentor is required to hold a current unrestricted Working with Vulnerable People registration. As a volunteer, this is free of charge (and will continue to be so for 2025-2026).

Project guidelines and work arrangements:

• Some mentors prefer to offer specific projects, but students are encouraged to design their own investigations with mentor support whenever possible (see Past Abstracts attachment for inspiration)
• Students complete a series of workshops once a fortnight with the Science Mentors Convenor to develop academic writing skills. 
• In most cases, the student will carry out their investigations at their school or one of the two nodes available. If you require the student to access your workplace, this can be organised as work experience.