Students

You will need to commit to working on your Science Mentors project each week until it is complete. To support steady progress, you are expected to spend two to three hours per week working on your investigation. Part of this time will involve meeting with your mentor and the Convenor. Typically, students meet with their mentor once a fortnight at one of the Science Mentors ACT locations but this can be negotiated to suit the nature of the investigation.

You will also be required to attend an online writing workshop once a fortnight. These run on Monday's 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm via Google Meet. A recording is available for students who cannot attend the live session.

This then leaves approximately one to two hours each week for independent work, such as planning tasks, analysing data, reading background literature, or preparing materials to discuss with your mentor.

It is important that you maintain regular contact with your mentor between face-to-face visits. Email is the most effective form of communication between meetings and you should send your mentor a brief written update on your progress each week. All emails must be copied to your mentor, the Convenor (sciencementors@act.gov.au) and your parent/carer. 

If there are any concerns with the way your project is progressing, you and your parent/carer should talk to the Convenor in the first instance.

The mentor is to guide you through an experiment designed according to mutual interest and ability. The mentor is to help to deepen your understanding of contemporary research practices, to teach the student how to conduct the research, and to provide feedback during the preparation of their report.

Each mentor is required to hold a current Working with Vulnerable People registration. 

Partnerships usually meet at one of the two Science Mentors nodes as often as is necessary during the six - eight month investigation. This is typically once a fortnight for about an hour, but the frequency and timing are negotiated with you, the mentor and the Convenor. The Science Mentors Convenor is present at all meetings so that educational feedback and advice is readily available if needed. You are encouraged to keep regular email communication in between meetings, but you must email your mentor 1 - 2 days prior to the meeting outlining achievements/issues/questions that have arisen to help set the agenda for each meeting.

Meeting locations

There are two options for in-person meetings with your mentor. Opening times alternate each week, as shown on the calendar. Where an in-person meeting isn't required, an online meeting may be negotiated. Meetings typically occur on a Monday, Tuesday or Thursday afternoon so that the Convenor is on hand to support the investigation. Online meetings may be held outside these times if your parent/guardian is available to supervise the meeting. 

·       Science Education Centre at Melrose High School for south side students

·       Academy of Future Skills, University of Canberra Senior Secondary College Lake Ginninderra for north side students

The topic of your investigation is decided between you and your mentor. Past students have completed research projects in fields ranging from physics to entomology, psychology, marine biology, seismology, microbiology, astronomy, and meteorology. See the collection of Abstracts on the 'Past Reports' tab to help you get an idea of the kinds of investigations you could undertake.

At the initial meeting you can talk with your mentor about possible experiments. You will also be given background reading to do. Once you know the topic of investigation and design the investigation with your mentor, you will carry out the experiment at one of the Science Mentors ACT nodes. 

Some mentors offer specific projects, but students are encouraged to design their own investigations with mentor support whenever possible (see past abstracts tab for inspiration).

You are encouraged, where possible, to use the typical laboratory equipment available in your school laboratories (e.g. glassware, scales, microscopes) or to borrow from the Academy of Future Skills (e.g. carbon dioxide, temperature, pH sensors).

If the investigation requires specific equipment, the mentor may request that you carry out your experiment at their professional laboratory. This can be organised through a Work Experience (WEX) placement to allow experimental work to be performed under the direct supervision of your mentor. You will need to adhere to specific requirements of behaviour and scientific rigour throughout your experimental work, keeping detailed records of all methods and results.

This depends on the nature of your investigation, but commonly students run their experiment:

• at a Science Mentors ACT classroom location (UCSCC Lake Ginninderra or Melrose HS)

• at their own school

• in the field (e.g. National Botanic Gardens)

• in some cases, in professional laboratories (as a work experience placement)

While participating in Science Mentor activities, it is expected that your behaviour upholds the high standards of your school and the Science Mentors program.

The Writing Workshops are designed to guide you through the academic writing process, giving you the tools and confidence to communicate your research effectively. By building these skills early, you should find that you are better prepared to structure and present your ideas, freeing your mentors to focus on investigation-specific techniques.

The workshops also play an important role in keeping you on track throughout the year, providing ongoing support and checkpoints to ensure steady progress towards a polished final report.

The writing workshops are run fortnightly on Monday's 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm through the school terms. These are run as a live session through Google Meet but a recording is provided for those with other commitments at that time. 

A minimum attendance rate of 80% at the workshops each term in required to continue your enrolment in the program.

You may like to view the Writing workshop schedule, available under the Calendar tab.