Building on an incredible 2025, In2science has launched into Semester 1, 2026 with fresh momentum and a growing community. This year, we’re thrilled to welcome three new partner schools and an enthusiastic cohort of mentors from across our four partner universities. Each mentor brings their own lived experience, passion for STEM, and commitment to helping students see what’s possible. To capture the excitement of these first few weeks, we asked some of our newest mentors how their early sessions have been—and their reflections say it all.
Jian, from The University of Melbourne, shared, “I joined In2science because I wanted to help make STEM pathways feel more accessible to students who might not otherwise see them as a possibility. I really enjoyed my first session! I had the chance to speak with most of the students, and many of them were more open than I had expected. It was also really interesting to experience a school environment different from my own, and I’m excited to keep learning more as the program progresses!”
For Damion from La Trobe University, the joy comes from sparking curiosity: “I joined in2science because I’m super passionate about sharing science with others, and I believe that there’s something interesting for everyone. I wanted to be able to help students realise that science isn’t as scary as it looks, if I can even help one student realise that then I’ve done my job well. My first few sessions have been really successful, I’ve been able to relate to students and explain things in ways that suit them/relate to their interests, it was a bit scary at first but now going to each session is really exciting.”
Norman, from Deakin University, is embracing the challenge of stepping into a new environment: “I joined In2science because it would be a great opportunity to explore new skills for me that will be valuable to me in my career, and to provide my own knowledge and experience I already have to younger people! I’ve found my first few sessions lovely, traditional classroom environments are not ones I am used to, so it has been a good experience for me in practicing my adaptability and application of soft skills in an unfamiliar setting. I understand how vital it is to be able to communicate information to a variety of audiences, and already in these couple of sessions I have had, I feel like I will come out of the program with better communication skills and that the students will have at least been exposed to the idea of university and further study, in STEM or not.”
And RMIT University student Kylie shared, “I joined In2science to give back to the STEM community. I attribute much of my passion and success in this field to my mentors, including mentors from In2science. Growing up, it was the enthusiasm of my STEM teachers that made me want to become a scientist. However, without the chance encounter that occurred back when I was in high school with In2science I would most likely not be where I am today. The mentors from In2science provided encouragement and pathway programs that lead to opportunities that got me into the field where the people I admire most are. I am now studying a Bachelor of Science. Like anything new, my first session started off nerve-racking and slow. I initially struggled with self doubt in my abilities to be useful in the classroom and questioned whether or not I was making the most of my time with the teachers and students. Honestly, I think this sort of feeling and thinking lasted for one session as I believe I didn’t get here without picking up some skills along the way from my degree and the support of mentors from In2science. With each passing session bringing me closer to my supervising teacher and students my confidence grew. I now find that my sessions fly by too quickly.”
With mentors like these stepping into classrooms, Semester 1 is already shaping up to be something special. The enthusiasm, openness, and willingness of the mentors to grow alongside their students sets the tone for another inspiring year of connection, curiosity, and STEM discovery. If you want to get your school involved with In2science, contact us today!
