Help make STEM accessible for all and inspire the next generation of scientists! The Confronting Inequality in Education (CIE) programme is seeking Imperial researchers to mentor Year 12 students interested in science and engineering. Just a few hours a month can make a huge difference in helping students from underrepresented backgrounds see themselves in STEM.
The programme has been running at Imperial for five years – you can read about the programmes impact, and last years Poster Showcase.
What’s involved?
As a mentor, you’ll:
- Be paired with a Year 12 student based on shared research interests (STEM fields including maths, physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, and medicine).
- Meet regularly through 1:1 online sessions (approx. 4 hours/month), including three in-person events at Imperial and partner school (either in Barnet or Wembley).
- Guide your mentee through creating a scientific poster on a topic of their choice, to be presented at Imperial’s final showcase.
- Support university applications, including personal statement writing and interview preparation.
You don’t need to be based in London – but attending the face-to-face sessions listed below is strongly encouraged to strengthen mentor-mentee relationships.
Provisional Event Dates 2026/2027
- Late November/ early December (late afternoon/ early evening): Career Speed-Meeting & Mentor-Mentee Introduction Location: Ark Academy, Wembley or Ark Pioneer, Barnet depending on your allocated mentee.
- Late January: Poster-Making Crash Course (optional for mentors, Location: Imperial College, South Kensington or White City)
- Late April (after Easter half term): Poster Showcase at Imperial
- Summer onwards: UCAS personal statement support and interview preparation sessions
Who Can Apply
We welcome mentors from all levels: Master’s students, PhD researchers, postdocs, and PIs – across all departments at Imperial!
You can express your interest in becoming a mentor here.
For any questions about the programme, please contact the CIE Organising Committee at ciementoring@imperial.ac.uk