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Dec 19 2025
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In2science Awards Night 2025 – highlights from turning 21!

By Awards, Events, News

On Tuesday December 9, In2science staff, participants and esteemed guests gathered at the Ian Potter Auditorium at The University of Melbourne to celebrate another successful year of In2science. Everyone was dressed up and ready to have a fun night – after all, it’s not every day you turn 21!


Video by Social Moments by Willow

In2science Director Dr Cory Smith opened the ceremony with an Acknowledgement of Country and spoke passionately about the importance of STEM in everyday life – even in activities like baking and rock climbing! In2science Chair, the Honourable Professor John Brumby AO, echoed Cory’s sentiments and thanked all who had participated in In2science in 2025 – our Board Members, funding bodies, past and present staff, and of course the teachers, mentors and mentees that make this program so fantastic. Keynote speaker Dr Kira Hughes, from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, gave an inspiring speech about her own personal STEM journey and the importance of role models, something that resonated with all of our participants.

 

The awards themselves began with recognition of the teachers and schools that went above and beyond to create welcoming, supportive environments for mentors and students. The Mentor Support Teacher Award went to Leanne Kirkland from Sale College, and Danielle McLeod from Epping Secondary College. Leanne’s effort in bringing the eMentoring program to her school was outstanding and the Coordinators found her so easy to work with. Danielle was recognised for her ongoing encouragement of her mentor Emma, giving her lots of freedom in the classroom. Our joint winners of the School Engagement Award were Ballarat High School and Doveton College. Ballarat High School has been an In2science partner since 2011 and are always so keen to be involved in our eMentoring program. Doveton College provides a welcoming environment for our mentors and the teachers at this school are a joy to work with. We also had a special Outstanding Contribution Award this year, which was awarded to Jennifer McCarthy from Bellarine Secondary College. Bellarine was the first school to host both in-class mentors and eMentors in an official capacity, and that was all thanks to Jen’s tireless dedication.

 

We were thrilled to award four high school student mentees with the Outstanding Mentee Award. It was a tough field this year, with 10 amazing finalists. Our winners were Willa Curnow from Sale College, Xavier Everett from Galen Catholic College, Charlie Gorman from Matthew Flinders Girls Secondary College, and Jacob James from Bundoora Secondary College. We want to recognise the growth these mentees have shown during their time working with their In2science mentors and encourage them to continue to engage with STEM long into the future. We then heard from our next speaker, award-winner Willa Curnow. Willa spoke with confidence and grace about the two mentors she had the opportunity to work with while in the eMentoring program. We loved hearing about how her mentors Srishti and Anmol taught her more about their shared interest, psychology, and about university life.

 

The mentor awards followed, and we had a fabulous pool of finalists to choose from this year, making our decisions very difficult! The STEM Champion Award was given to Erisha Tayal of The University of Melbourne. Erisha was recognised for her enthusiasm and work to inspire her students, especially the girls, to enter a STEM field. We awarded the Connection Award to Ella Jalland from Deakin University, due to her outstanding ability to engage with mentees at any level and use humour to make STEM fun. The Impact Award was given to Emma Iacuone from La Trobe University. Emma already has such a busy schedule, but she always has time for In2science mentoring and is kind and patient with her students. Tanvi Shaikh from RMIT University was awarded the Dedication Award due to her commitment to her placement across both semesters of 2025, and her endless enthusiasm for STEM.

 

Finalists for the Mentor Leaders Program, which connects In2science university student volunteers to their own mentor working in industry, were tough to narrow down as we had so many wonderful mentor-mentee pairs this year. Nadia Niyubushobozi from Deakin University won the award, as she wholeheartedly embraced the aims of the program in her meetings with her mentor, Dr Kira Hughes. In her summary, Kira praised Nadia’s kindness and determination, and her desire to continue to help others achieve their goals. We concluded the awards presentation with two eMentor awards. First up, Thisanja Cooray from La Trobe University was given the Regional Impact Award for her outstanding work as an eMentor in 2025. Thisanja truly does go above and beyond for her mentees, organising to meet up at university open days and teaching them hands-on scientific techniques. Aleeta Carmody from Deakin University was awarded the Regional Connection Award. Aleeta has been an eMentor for two years and always develops a strong rapport with her mentees. She is a big supporter of In2science and we love working with her!

 

We finished up the ceremony with a fabulous speech from Mackenzie Liddell, a Bachelor of Science student at The University of Melbourne and finalist for the Connection Award. Mackenzie spoke about her time as a mentor at Pakenham Secondary College and the fun activities she had the opportunity to participate in, like an excursion to Cranbourne Gardens. Mackenzie’s inspiring speech was a wonderful way to wrap up the official presentation. It’s always a joy to host this fabulous event and get the opportunity to hear about how much our participants enjoy being part of the program. The In2science team is looking forward to an even bigger and better year in 2026!

 

Click here to read more about the 2025 Awards winners and finalists

Click here to access the 2025 Awards Photo Gallery

 

In2science is grateful for the generous support of our Program partners: the Department of Education Victoria, the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, and the Selby Scientific Foundation.

 

Oct 02 2025
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Relationship Building – a key skill for mentoring and beyond

By Events, News

With the end of semester 2 rapidly approaching, the In2science team hosted our second mentor professional development workshop for the year. We love offering free workshops on a variety of topics to give back to our hard-working volunteers. This time, we headed to RMIT’s impressive Storey Hall and enjoyed the sweeping views of the CBD (albeit on a rather gloomy day). We were lucky to host two guest speakers from Teach for Australia, a proud partner of In2science. Senior Recruitment Manager Costa Constantaras and colleague Varun Asthana delivered a humorous and insightful presentation all about relationship building.

While mentoring, our volunteers foster relationships with a diverse range of people – from their host teachers, to the In2science team, to their high school student mentees. In their future careers in STEM they may need to connect with lecturers, research heads, supervisors, managers, and colleagues. Recognising what each different relationship needs can be tricky and requires specific skills. Costa led the attendees through a discussion of relationship-building skills like showing respect, practising empathy and being open-minded. Our mentors were encouraged to put their skills into practice by learning about each other through meaningful conversations and active listening.

Our attendees learnt a lot from the workshop and appreciated the opportunity to ask questions about the relationships they are cultivating with their mentees. It was great to see the mentors sharing their own experiences and helping each other to problem solve. In2science would like to thank Teach for Australia for helping us to organise this workshop, and we look forward to bringing more professional development events to our mentors next year.

Jun 10 2025
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From Neurodiverse to Neuroaware: Mentors Upskill with a Neuroinclusive Workshop

By Events, News

On Wednesday May 28, the In2science team and volunteer mentors from our partner universities gathered at beautiful Deakin Downtown for a professional development workshop. Presented by the amazing Dr Rebecca (Bec) Muir, manager of Disability and Neurodiversity Inclusion at La Trobe University, this interactive, fun, and occasionally challenging workshop explored our perceptions of neurodiversity and gave practical advice on how we can all be more neuroinclusive in our day-to-day lives. We asked our fabulous attendees to share their thoughts on the event.

eMentor Gracy Arora from Deakin University, who is currently working with a student from Maffra Secondary College, had this to say about the experience:

“As an international student living in Australia for the past two years, I’ve often found it challenging to truly feel at home. However, during the two-hour neuroinclusion training session led by Dr Rebecca, I experienced a profound sense of belonging and understanding that I had not felt before. The session was incredibly enlightening—it introduced me to concepts I had never encountered and shifted my perspective in powerful ways. Dr Rebecca’s delivery was thoughtful, clear, and deeply impactful. The safe, respectful environment she cultivated made everyone feel seen and heard, and for the first time in a long while, I felt equal and included. Coming from a psychology background, I’ve sometimes struggled to fully grasp how neuroinclusion should be practiced in everyday settings. This session not only clarified those gaps but also gave me the confidence to approach these topics with greater sensitivity and awareness. I walked away with a new language of inclusion and a greater appreciation for the small, often overlooked actions that can make a big difference. It was a truly eye-opening experience, and I am immensely grateful to have had the opportunity to participate.”

La Trobe Masters student and eMentor, also at Maffra Secondary College, Kajanan Sathiyaseelan shared these insightful words:

“Looking back, I have learned a lot as an eMentor from explaining science to kids who are hungry for knowledge to being their friend and sharing my struggles as a neuroatypical person in my academic journey. I had the amazing opportunity to attend a lecture by Rebecca Muir on neurodiversity. She broke down the phobia that society often holds about neurodiverse people. What they really need is love and support from fellow humans, along with a safe space to express themselves and just be themselves. Inclusion is a simple step. We need to stop fearmongering, start loving, and treat everyone as our fellow humans. As a neuroatypical person, I understand the struggles of those who share my spectrum. Be the change.”

Emma Iacuone, also from La Trobe University and mentoring at Epping Secondary College, offered her thoughts:

“I had the amazing opportunity to attend the ‘Neuroinclusion in practice and language’ workshop presented by the lovely Dr. Rebecca Muir! I got to meet with other mentors and eMentors from the program, where we learnt together about neuroinclusive language, and what being neuroinclusive in a classroom setting can look like. The biggest idea I took away from the workshop was that each person has different needs, and that when I am in the classroom, it is a good thing to ask all students about what they prefer. This reduces the assumption that neurodivergence is uncommon, and I can change how I share information or explain concepts to students with different learning styles. I felt the workshop atmosphere was extremely supportive, fun (I learnt how to fold an origami chatterbox!), and informative. I wanted to say thank you to the In2science team for the opportunity to be a part of this workshop!”

Lenny Zhang, an eMentor from The University of Melbourne mentoring at St John’s Regional College, said the following:

“As someone who hates stepping out of their comfort zone, pushing myself to come to this workshop was a challenge although I knew it was going to help me to expand my knowledge in an unfamiliar field. However, this challenge took me by surprise. I had learnt knowledge, theories and ideas that I was unprepared for yet desperately needed. As a psychology student, I have often heard of the words neurodiverse and neurodivergent, but I never understood the difference between them. I also felt a deep connection with the cutlery theory, which articulated why we may react differently to the big and small stressors in everyday life. I felt welcomed, accepted and respected. Small fidgets were provided that could suit people’s learning needs, as some of us, such as me, learn better with a certain level of “distraction”. We were given multiple breaks to refuel our bodies and let our concentrated minds rest. Before we knew it, Dr Rebecca Muir has made the workshop more than a classroom that taught us about neurodiversity, but also a place that demonstrated how to create a safe space that respected the differences between people.”

One of our favourite aspects of In2science is being able to give back to our hard-working and committed volunteers with these exceptional professional development workshops. Our mentors learnt so much from Bec and have upskilled not only their mentoring, but their everyday interactions with diverse people. We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Bec for running this fantastic workshop sharing her extensive knowledge about becoming more neuroaware!

Jan 28 2025
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20 years of In2science!

By Awards, Events, News

The annual Awards Night was again the most anticipated event on the In2science calendar, and this year it was extra special as we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the creation of the program. In2science was born at La Trobe University in August 2004, driven by two key figures, David Finlay and John McDonald. The program has gone through many highs and lows since then, surviving and thriving through the leadership of its passionate directors, managers and coordinators, and of course the teachers, mentors and mentees that participate in the program.

 

On Tuesday December 10, the In2science team welcomed these participants and their guests to our fabulous event. This year the event was held at the stunning Ian Potter Auditorium at The University of Melbourne. The foyer was lovingly decorated with photos from the past, posters celebrating some long-serving staff members and teachers, and a timeline showcasing key moments in our 20-year history. These eye-catching pieces really helped to set the scene for a fun, reflective and somewhat nostalgic look back at the In2science program.

 

The evening opened with an Acknowledgement of Country from Program Director Dr Gabby Goldberg, who followed with a heartfelt story about why it is so important to encourage everyone to engage with STEM. We were also treated to a video montage from some of the legends that make up In2science’s past and present – Megan Mundy (Program Director 2012-2019), Amanda Dales (Bayswater Secondary College teacher and Advisory Board member), Aleeta Carmody (past eMentee and current eMentor) and Julia Cleghorn (past Coordinator and current university manager). In2science Chair, The Honourable Professor John Brumby AO, continued these sentiments and congratulated In2science on another successful year. Our guest speaker, Dr Jessica Danaher, Associate Dean Student Experience (Science) at RMIT University, delivered a funny and inspiring speech all about making the most of opportunities when they are presented to you and taking chances on new experiences. It was an absolute delight to have Dr Danaher as our keynote for the evening!

 

We kicked off the awards presentations with the Mentor Support Teacher Award, which goes to teachers that have been exceptionally welcoming and helpful to our volunteer mentors. This year, Veronica Chia of St John’s Regional College and Matthew Tempone from Bundoora Secondary College were deserving winners. Veronica was new to In2science this year but her persistence and dedication with getting the program running at her school were outstanding. Matthew has been a huge supporter of the program and helped us place 13 mentors at his school. The School Engagement Award was given to joint winners Maffra Secondary College, who have hosted an incredible 99 eMentors since 2016, and Mount Alexander College, with over 90 placements since 2018! We are so grateful to all our participating schools and supportive teachers, as the program would not have continued for 20 years without you!

 

The Outstanding Mentee award was next. We had so many fantastic finalists this year that we awarded four prizes. Our winners this year were Harry Allison from Maffra Secondary College, Avalon-May Barton from Virtual School Victoria, Patrick Benson from Geelong High School, and Nha Y Tran from Charles La Trobe P-12 College. Congratulations to all our nominated mentees for showing exceptional initiative, curiosity, dedication and engagement with STEM – keep it up! Our mentee speakers, Millie Martin and Olivia Skewes from Maffra Secondary College were up next. These girls showed confidence beyond their years to speak in front of our guests about their experience in the eMentoring program. Millia and Olivia spoke about how their mentor Sauti helped them to open up and learn more about biotechnology. It was lovely to see how proud Sauti was of her mentees!

 

It was then time for the mentor awards, and first we awarded STEM Champion to Jessica Iktear of La Trobe University. Jess is a stand-out mentor who goes out of her way to help others and, after three semesters with us, is now aspiring to be a teacher. The Connection award went to Christon Kenneth Dsouza from RMIT University for his easy-going nature and ability to bond with the students. Our very deserving winner for the Dedication award was Jackson Giddens from Deakin University. Jackson has a very busy workload but still always made time to enthusiastically attend his placements, which was greatly appreciated. The Communication award went to new mentor Nolan Wen from Swinburne University of Technology for their efforts to engage with every student in their class. Ava Collison from The University of Melbourne was the winner of the Impact award. Ava has received nothing but positive feedback and we are excited that they will continue to impact students’ learning in their future career as a teacher.

 

The Mentor Leaders Program award was given to Mahin Maleki from Deakin University for her engagement with the program and her industry mentor Lachlan from SPARK North East Link. Mahin learnt as much as she could from Lachlan and always sent thorough updates on her progress. Finally, we awarded two prizes to our fabulous eMentors. The Regional Impact award was given to Jolene Erin Rosca from Deakin University. Jolene moved from in-class mentoring last year to eMentoring this year and did not skip a beat. Her connection with her mentees is nothing short of inspiring. A new award for this year, the Regional Connection award, was given to Sauti Malabika Nadi from RMIT University. Sauti’s kind heart and passion for STEM really stood out in her mentoring sessions and she went above and beyond to support her mentees.

 

Our final speaker for the night was the aforementioned Jessica Iktear. To La Trobe team members, Jess needs no introduction as she is always willing to lend a hand and has helped us train new mentors. Jess spoke about how science is everywhere and for everyone, and told a beautiful story about how she connected with a student through the science in video games. We are thrilled that soon Jess will be leading her own classroom and will continue to inspire the next generation to engage with STEM.

 

After the ceremony, it was time to enjoy some food and drinks in the foyer, while admiring the fantastic display of the history of In2science. It was a chance for old workmates to catch up, and new connections to be made. It was a time for thanking our participants and supporters, and looking forward to another 20 years of this important life-changing and inspiring program!

A video of the fabulous 2024 Awards Night can be viewed here:

 

Click here to read more about the 2024 Awards winners and finalists

Click here to access the 2024 Awards Photo Gallery

 

In2science is grateful for the generous support of our Program partners:  Department of Education Victoria, The Department of Industry, Science and Resources, and the Selby Scientific Foundation.

Sep 25 2024
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Career Speed-Networking with In2science – professional development with a twist

By Events, News

On Wednesday September 18, In2science held a highly-anticipated and exclusive professional development event to help our mentors expand their networks and gain tips on entering the workforce after university. Our STEM Career Speed-Networking Event, hosted at the RMIT Media Portal, was attended by over 30 In2science student mentors from all five of our partner universities. Attendees met with invited STEM Professionals from a range of disciplines to discuss employment pathways and career advice in a relaxed and fun setting.

 

The afternoon began with a welcome from In2science Program Director Dr Gabby Goldberg, followed by an uplifting keynote speech from Dr Catriona Nguyen-Robertson. Catriona is a researcher, writer, educator and presenter – she wears many hats but above all her passion is science communication and making science accessible to everyone, which often includes singing about it! Catriona described the non-linear path that took her to where she is today, which included many semesters volunteering as an In2science mentor. She shared beneficial advice about putting yourself out there, giving things a go, and finding a support group to help you along the way. Her speech was truly inspirational and the perfect motivation for the activity to follow.

 

During the Speed-Networking, our mentors were lucky enough to meet with enthusiastic professionals from a variety of disciplines. We were honoured to host researchers from the La Trobe Institute for Sustainable Agriculture and Food, WEHI, and NACE, and experts from various industries, including automotive (Toyota), biotechnology (Thermo Fisher Scientific), technology (HPE, Tettra), and education (Teach For Australia, Pascoe Vale Girls College). Along with Catriona (Museums Victoria), we also had science communicators joining us from Parks Victoria, Movember, and even In2science! Four of our guests were past In2science volunteer mentors, and it was fantastic for our current mentors to hear their stories and learn about the paths they followed. “The speed-networking night was a great opportunity to connect with professionals and learn more about different career pathways. I personally gained a lot of insight into how I can combine my wide range of interests for a rewarding role in the future”, said Arlo, Swinburne University of Technology In2science Mentor. Thilanka Morawakage, Project Officer at NACE, commented that “While sharing my academic and career experiences with the In2science mentors, I found it was also a valuable opportunity for me to reflect on my own journey and recognise the progress I’ve made to date.” 

 

The event concluded with refreshments and informal networking time, where the conversations continued to flow. In2science is proud to reward our hard-working mentors with professional development opportunities like this, and is honoured that so many amazing people jumped at the chance to speak at this event. We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone that attended, and we hope to see you all at our next event!

 

 

Mar 25 2024
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In2science Awards Night 2023 – celebrating an exciting year of growth and innovation

By Awards, Events, News

What a busy and exciting year 2023 was for In2science! We welcomed new schools, new team members, and even a new university to the In2science family. We held two insightful professional development workshops on careers and inclusivity. We tried our hand at different types of mentoring with Ngarri Primary School, Banyule Nillumbik Tech School and Greenvale Secondary College. And with the generous and continued support of Toyota Community Trust we were able to run another successful year of the Mentor Leaders Program. The In2science team, along with over 170 guests, celebrated the year’s accomplishments at our annual Awards Night, held once again at the impressive Science Gallery Melbourne.

 

Program Director Dr Gabby Goldberg opened the ceremony with an Acknowledgement of Country and reflection on her first full year in the role. Gabby highlighted all the amazing achievements of the In2science team and participants during 2023. In2science Chair, The Hon. Prof. John Brumby AO, welcomed everyone to the event and introduced our keynote speaker, Dr Flora Hui, newly-appointed Board Director for Toyota Community Trust. Dr Hui’s speech was entertaining and enlightening as she discussed her love of science and impressive career pathway. It was an honour to have her present at our awards ceremony.

 

To change things up this year the awards were presented by our fabulous Program Coordinators. We began the ceremony by congratulating our joint Mentor Support Teacher Award winners, Kristen Raine from Maffra Secondary College and Michelle Sanders from Footscray High School. Kristen signed up over 30 students to the eMentoring program in 2023, and Michelle has hosted nearly 50 mentors in her time with the program – outstanding achievements from these teachers! Our joint winners for the School Engagement Award were Warragul Regional College and Warrnambool College. Both schools were new to the program in 2023 and embraced In2science and our mentors wholeheartedly. A highlight of the night was the thank you video message from the teachers at Warrnambool College, which was a lovely moment to share with our guests. This year we had an amazing 10 finalists for the Outstanding Mentee Award and we again had joint recipients, Sarah Chea from Westall Secondary College and Charlie Still from Maffra Secondary College. Sarah and Charlie were both extremely enthusiastic mentees and their mentors spoke very highly of them – two very deserving winners!

 

The mentor awards followed, with the addition of a new category in 2023 – the Communication Award, for a mentor who displayed skill and enthusiasm for communicating to a diverse audience. Swinburne University of Technology student Anton Guzman was the recipient of this award, for his ability to explain scientific concepts in an easy-to-understand and entertaining way. The STEM Champion Award went to new In2science mentor Joshua Watkins from Deakin University. Josh shared his passion for science with his students by taking his own microscope to the class and was always willing to speak about his experiences studying STEM. Max Marchesan from La Trobe University was the winner of the Connection Mentor Award. Max is an experienced mentor, having completed three placements, and he works hard to build a rapport with his students. Yasindu Hettiarachchi from The University of Melbourne won the Dedication Mentor Award for his commitment to helping his students see their STEM potential. The Impact Mentor Award, proudly sponsored by Toyota Community Trust, was awarded to Anthony Menna from RMIT University. Anthony’s use of science memes and Dad jokes was a big hit with his students!

 

The Mentor Leaders Program Award was again sponsored by Toyota Community Trust and was awarded to a mentor that fully embraced the opportunities of the program. Zoe Whitehouse from The University of Melbourne was the 2023 recipient for her engagement with her STEM Professional Mentor Tahnee. The ceremony concluded with the Regional Impact Award, which was awarded to eMentor Jessica Ovens from RMIT University, who was always very encouraging and supportive of her eMentee Mary in their sessions.

 

During the ceremony we heard from three amazing speakers about their experiences with the In2science program. First up was a heartwarming speech from eMentees Jemima Lockwood and Skye Speers from Ballarat High School. Jemima and Skye spoke about their mentoring sessions with eMentor Tallulah and how she helped them explore different topics in science and how to pursue a career in STEM. Our final speaker of the night was Jolene Erin Rosca, a mentor from Deakin University. Jolene delivered a wonderful speech describing her pathway in STEM and her experience of being an In2science mentor. We would like to thank these speakers for having the courage to speak in front of over 170 people. This is not an easy task, and you all did a fantastic job. We are proud of you!

 

At the conclusion of the ceremony, it was time to relax and enjoy some food and drinks in the Western Gallery. It was wonderful to see people from schools, universities, government, and industry networking and enjoying their time at the event. It was a perfect way to finish an energetic year at In2science and left us all looking forward to what 2024 will bring.

 

Here is a video showcasing this fantastic event:

 

 

Click here to read more about the 2023 Awards winners and finalists

Click here to access the 2023 Awards Photo Gallery

 

In2science would like to thank Science Gallery Melbourne for once again hosting this fabulous event. In2science is grateful for the generous support of our Program and Awards partners: Toyota Community Trust, CSL Behring, and the Department of Education and Training Victoria.

Dec 18 2023
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Another successful year for the Mentor Leaders Program!

By Events, News

One of the key aims of the In2science Peer Mentoring Program is to foster and build connections between industry, universities, and schools. The Mentor Leaders Program (MLP) forms a major part of this goal. The MLP was initiated in the second half of 2021 and has run continuously since. In 2023, in only its third year, the MLP was bigger and better than ever! This is all thanks to the generous support of Toyota Community Trust. So, what did we achieve in the MLP this year?

 

The MLP kicked off in May with STEM Professionals and university mentors eagerly signing up to be part of the program. In 2023 we were able to match 15 STEM Professionals (the mentors) to In2science Leaders (the mentees). After some training, the pairs jumped straight into organising meetings to discuss a range of topics, such as pathways through university and into the workforce, interview strategies, networking tips, and applying for jobs. It has been great to see that not every meeting has focussed solely on career progression, with our participants also chatting about work-life balance, managing burnout, and the dreaded imposter syndrome! The In2science team have loved reading the feedback on these meetings and we are so pleased to see both mentors and mentees benefitting from the relationship.

 

On Tuesday October 3 the Mentor Leaders Program had its first ever catch up at the fantastic Royal Melbourne Hotel on Bourke Street. Despite the inclement weather, many of the program’s participants ventured out to enjoy the event. The evening kicked off with some drinks and canapes in the candlelit “Cells” room, which provided a spooky and fun atmosphere to catch up with the attendees. It was especially lovely to see our mentor/mentee pairs excitedly chatting together. Our guests were treated to a workshop hosted by Taylor and Eshita from Teach for Australia. The workshop, titled “Leading Self, Leading Others”, took the participants on an exploration of what it means to be a leader, and how being self-aware and understanding your own behaviours will help you to be a better leader of others. This was a fantastic event and we thank Teach for Australia for their input and expertise.

 

This year we had four STEM Professionals from Thermo Fisher Scientific participating in the MLP, and one of them, Jacqueline Saykao, organised for the paired mentees to experience a full day visit to the office in Scoresby. This was a brilliant initiative and it was eagerly taken up by the In2science Leaders. The attendees were treated to a tour of Thermo Fisher and learnt about different roles at the company. Elizabeth Thomas, Bachelor of Science student at The University of Melbourne and current In2science mentor, said, “I was very lucky to visit Thermo Fisher and learn about the company’s values. Each of our mentors presented and explained what their roles entailed and what a day in their life looked like. I found these talks very helpful to understanding what a career in STEM would be like and it also made me realise I am happy with my choice of study. We wrapped up the day with lunch at a local cafe, where we networked with other Thermo Fisher employees and Grad Program participants. Overall, I had a great visit and learned a lot more than I expected about one potential career in STEM.” In2science would like to thank Jacqueline and the team at Thermo Fisher for this fantastic opportunity. This is what the MLP is all about!

 

To wrap up this extraordinary year, on Thursday November 30, the MLP participants gathered at the beautiful Deakin Downtown to share stories and achievements. Katarina Persic, Community Foundations Coordinator at Toyota Australia, opened the event. We were then treated to a presentation by Thilanka Morawakage, Project Officer at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. Thilanka spoke passionately about how her love for science began with visits to Questacon and CSIRO, and has led her to an exciting career in biomedicine with lots of opportunities to volunteer. A panel discussion with mentor/mentee pair Catherine Hart, Senior Sustainability and Environmental Specialist at Toyota Australia, and Veda Mileva, Bachelor of Biomedicine student at La Trobe University, followed. Moderated by In2science Program Coordinator Rachel Ella, the discussion highlighted how the program produces mutually beneficial relationships. Cat mentioned how inspiring it was to meet new people in the program and how it has helped her reflect on her own career pathway. Veda loved that she was able to achieve her goals of fine-tuning her CV and adding her personality into her cover letters. This event was the perfect way to wrap-up a very successful year of the Mentor Leaders Program.

 

The In2science Team have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the enthusiastic STEM Professionals that volunteered to take part in the MLP this year, and the exceptional group of university students that participated. We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Toyota Community Trust for their ongoing support. We hope the MLP will return in 2024 with even more matches and exciting events!

Oct 13 2023
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Inclusivity at In2science!

By Events, News

At In2science we love to support our hard-working volunteers by offering professional development and upskilling sessions that can be applied to their school-student mentoring and beyond. We hosted our second professional development workshop for the year on Wednesday September 20 at the stunning Deakin Downtown in Melbourne’s CBD. “The Inclusive Mentor” was presented by Alicea Yu, Coordinator of Training and Capacity Building at Deakin University, and was enjoyed by both in-class mentors and eMentors from our partner universities.

Alicea began the session by welcoming us all to a safe and respectful space, offering us the chance to learn and ask questions without judgement. While the topics of inclusivity and the LGBTQIA+ community can be serious, Alicea presented with such warmth and humour that attendees felt comfortable opening up and sharing their experiences and thoughts. An activity centred around each of us choosing one privilege to keep was particularly eye-opening, and helped us realise that we may have privileges that we take for granted. Alicea taught us ways to embed inclusivity in our daily lives by being more aware of our behaviour and language. Small changes can have a huge impact on making others feel more included and valued, and is something that we can all continuously improve upon.

In2science is proud to be an inclusive program and we embrace the fact that there is always something new to learn. We would like to thank Alicea for sharing her knowledge with us and our mentors. We are certain that everyone left the workshop feeling more confident with inclusive practice and ready to take these skills to their mentoring sessions. If you are interested in becoming a mentor for In2science, apply today or email us to find out more!

Jul 17 2023
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Your Online Brand and the Power of LinkedIn – our latest PD!

By Events, News

One of our favourite activities in the In2science team is gathering mentors from all five partner universities for professional development workshops! It’s a great opportunity for mentors to network with each other and the In2science staff in a relaxed environment, while learning skills to use both inside and outside their mentoring role. On Tuesday June 20th, a group of past, current, and future In2science mentors assembled at the La Trobe University City Campus for a fun and informative session. After another busy semester of studying, our university student mentors were eager to learn ideas and advice for progressing their future careers!

 

Our guest speaker was Tina Papadakos, a Careers Consultant from the Swinburne University of Technology Career Development Team. Tina delivered an interactive and insightful workshop, beginning by explaining how to identify your personal brand, and describing ways to develop this and communicate it to others. We talked about developing a LinkedIn profile and how to use this to connect with people and groups (like In2science!). Topics such as informational interviewing, elevator pitches, and using the STAR technique in interviews were all covered with fun activities. The mentors were able to see how volunteering for In2science can boost their resume and employability. We all know how competitive the job market is, so the tips and tricks provided by Tina will be put to good use by our mentors as they navigate through their studies and careers.

 

The In2science Team is proud to offer a variety of useful and fun professional development opportunities to our hardworking volunteer mentors. If you are interested in becoming a mentor for In2science, apply today or email us to find out more!

 

 

 

 

Mar 31 2023
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Awards Night – celebrating achievements in 2022!

By Awards, Events, News

In2science’s gala event, our annual Awards Night, returned to Science Gallery Melbourne in December 2022. Mentors, students, teachers, government and industry representatives, and the In2science team all gathered in the newly renovated Black Box Theatre to celebrate the achievements of In2science participants. 2022 saw the return to a more ‘normal’ form of education for all, and this was thoroughly embraced by our mentors and schools. Metropolitan-based mentors were excited to be back amongst their students in the classroom, while our eMentors enthusiastically engaged with their regional eMentees via the online mode of our program.

Awards Night began with an Acknowledgement of Country and speech from newly appointed In2science Program Director Dr Gabby Goldberg. Gabby spoke of her excitement to tackle her new role as director and her vision for In2science’s future. This was followed by a welcoming speech from In2science Chair, The Hon. Prof. John Brumby AO, and an inspiring keynote delivered by Katie Thompson, Corporate Services General Manager at Toyota – proud partners of this event and the In2science program. Katie spoke about how important it is to encourage engagement with STEM learning, a task that all our mentors aspire to achieve.

The awards presentation kicked off with joint teacher winners Carolyn Drenen from Lalor North Secondary College and Maree Timms from Galen Catholic College. Carolyn and Maree are two of In2science’s biggest supporters, and together they have hosted nearly 30 placements! Carolyn and Maree were very deserving winners of the Mentor Support Teacher Award. The School Engagement Award followed, with joint winners Galen Catholic College and South Oakleigh College recognised for their continuous support and promotion of the program. The Outstanding Mentee Award was next, with an extraordinary 10 finalists! This year the award was given to Meryem Abdulrazzak from Epping Secondary College for always interacting with mentor Harrison and her continuous efforts to improve her schoolwork. Joint winner eMentee Hamish Meddings from Maffra Secondary College was recognised for enthusiastically sharing his passion for engineering with eMentor Stella.

There were six Mentor Award categories in 2022. STEM Champion award winner Ella Burgun from RMIT University was recognised for her passion in promoting STEM career paths to young people. The Dedication Award went to veteran mentor Joseph Araniakulathil from Swinburne University of Technology for his ongoing commitment to the program mentoring at his old high school. Our Connection award winner Maria Martha Kapetanea from La Trobe University was celebrated for overcoming challenges faced during her placement and finding new ways to interact with her mentees. Ciara Murphy from The University of Melbourne won the Impact Award, which was proudly sponsored by Toyota. Ciara was incredibly kind and supportive during her time in the classroom and worked hard to engage every student in the class.

The Mentor Leaders Program, which is an extension of In2science and pairs mentors with STEM Industry Professionals, has its own award (kindly sponsored by Toyota) which recognises mentors that fully embraced the program. Jaidyn Gluskie from RMIT University won this award in 2022 for his commitment to the program and his inspirational mentoring relationship with STEM Professional Dennis. The final award for the night, the Regional Impact Award, is given to an outstanding eMentor and this year it went to Georgia Eleftheriou for her continued work with eMentee Ashlee. Georgia really goes above and beyond for her eMentee (even inviting Ashlee to undertake work experience in her lab!) making her a very worthy winner.

Guests at the event were treated to two amazing speeches during the night. The first, from previous Outstanding Mentee Award recipient Ashlee Davey of Galen Catholic College, had the audience giggling at Ashlee’s experiences in the program. Guests may have also teared up a little as Ashlee thanked all her supporters, including her exceptional mentor, award-winner Georgia. The final speech of the night was from Swinburne University of Technology mentor Ally Vimpany. Ally spoke of the many different types of kids she encountered in her placement at Narre Warren South P-12 College and how she made an effort to find different techniques to interact and engage with them all. Ally said, “I would recommend the program to everyone studying STEM as a way to give back and inspire school children to also pursue further education in STEM. It has been a highlight of my life meeting and teaching such fantastic kids, and I can’t wait for another semester next year.”

Following the awards presentation and speeches, guests enjoyed drinks and an array of delicacies from a grazing table in the Western Gallery. Award winners and finalists proudly posed in front of the university banners with In2science and university representatives. Networking between student, mentor, teacher and industry attendees continued well into the evening. Feedback from the night was overwhelmingly positive and we can’t wait to do it all again in 2023!

A video of the awesome 2022 Awards Night can be viewed here:

 

Click here to read more about the 2022 Awards winners and finalists

Click here to access the 2022 Awards Photo Gallery

 

In2science would like to thank Science Gallery Melbourne for once again hosting this fabulous event. In2science is grateful for the generous support of our Program and Awards partners: Toyota Community Trust, CSL Behring, and the Department of Education and Training Victoria.