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NanoTRIZ Research Mentoring Program

The Research Mentoring Program is a non-accredited, fee-based research-mentoring program of NanoTRIZ Innovation Institute, an independent research institute in Brisbane, Australia. The program is designed for school students in their final years of secondary school, usually aged 15–18. University students and early-career researchers are accepted by enquiry, with the scope and mentor agreed individually. Students work on an individual research project under scientific supervision and build a research portfolio. The programs do not award an Australian qualification.

What students learn

  • formulate a focused research question;
  • find and critically evaluate scientific literature, distinguishing reliable evidence from unsupported claims;
  • identify research gaps and contradictions in the literature;
  • use AI tools responsibly: check literature claims against original sources, test code and calculations, inspect figures against the underlying data, and record material AI use;
  • develop their own idea or hypothesis and test it by calculation or modelling where feasible;
  • interpret results and state their limitations;
  • present their work as a report, presentation, poster or visual abstract;
  • keep a record of their own contribution.

The main outcome is a research portfolio showing what the student did and which decisions they made.

Format, length and fees

  • Meetings: Two 60-minute online supervision meetings a month with your supervisor, individually or in a small group of up to five participants.
  • Length: three months.
  • What the fee covers: written feedback on each stage of your work between meetings, research templates and materials, and access to the NanoTRIZ Digital Lab, which is currently a pilot: its features may change, and your supervision does not depend on it. It does not buy publication, authorship, affiliation or any other outcome.
  • Fee: The Research Mentoring Program is fee-based; details are provided on enquiry. You receive a written offer with the fee and the full terms after a review of your application and a short interview, and you pay nothing until you accept it. Reduced-fee places may be available; please ask.
  • Refunds: You can cancel within 14 days of accepting your offer, before the first meeting, for a full refund. After that, fees already paid for meetings not yet delivered are refunded pro rata. If NanoTRIZ cannot deliver the agreed program, unused fees are refunded in full, as set out in the Terms of Participation.

What NanoTRIZ does not guarantee

NanoTRIZ does not guarantee admission to any university, and the program does not replace strong grades, examination results or other admission requirements. Participation does not guarantee publication, authorship, a particular position in the author list, or acceptance by any journal or conference. For the strongest projects, an abstract, conference poster or manuscript may become possible, but such outcomes are never guaranteed and are not purchased through the program fee.

Authorship and affiliation

Authorship requires a documented intellectual contribution and work of appropriate scientific quality. Taking part in a NanoTRIZ program does not by itself entitle a participant to list NanoTRIZ Innovation Institute as an institutional affiliation in a publication. In this paid program the work is the participant’s own: supervisors are thanked in the acknowledgments and are never listed as authors. Supervisor co-authorship is possible only in the fee-free NanoTRIZ Scholars program (see below).

Describing participation

Students should describe their participation accurately, as a non-accredited online research program, not as an internship, fellowship or university position. Recommended format: Participant, NanoTRIZ Research Mentoring Program (non-accredited, online), NanoTRIZ Innovation Institute, [Month Year]–[Month Year]. The title “NanoTRIZ Scholar” is used only by students selected for the NanoTRIZ Scholars program.

Safeguarding for participants under 18

  • A participant under 18 joins only with written consent from a parent or legal guardian, who is a party to the program terms.
  • Sessions use channels agreed in advance. A parent or guardian is copied on substantive messages and may attend any session.
  • There is no private one-to-one messaging between a supervisor and a participant under 18.
  • Every supervisor holds the working-with-children screening required where they work (a Queensland blue card where required).
  • Concerns about safety or conduct can be sent to director@nanotriz.com. NanoTRIZ acknowledges a concern within 5 business days and gives a substantive response within 10 business days. You can also raise a concern with your child’s school or, for online safety matters, the Australian eSafety Commissioner. Read the full Child Safety and Safeguarding Policy.

Personal information

NanoTRIZ collects only the information needed to run the program. Recording a session, and any publicity or publication, needs separate consent. A parent or guardian may ask to see, correct or delete their child’s information at any time.

Program status

NanoTRIZ does not award AQF qualifications, university credit or nationally recognised VET credentials. Participation does not provide eligibility for an Australian student visa. NanoTRIZ does not claim registration as a university, higher education provider, RTO or CRICOS provider.

Who leads the program

The NanoTRIZ research programs were founded and are led by Professor Alexander A. Solovev, Founding Director of NanoTRIZ Innovation Institute (Brisbane, Australia) and former tenured Professor in the Department of Materials Science at Fudan University, Shanghai (2015–2024). Full profile: Leadership and collaborating researchers.

NanoTRIZ Scholars: no fee. Selection by open call

Each year NanoTRIZ selects a small number of students for a supervised research project without a fee. Selection is by open call, on written criteria: a short research proposal and an interview, not ability to pay. Anyone may apply, including students of partner schools and students with no link to NanoTRIZ. Taking part in a paid NanoTRIZ course, workshop or program gives no advantage in selection and does not confer NanoTRIZ Scholar status. Calls are announced on this page. Scholars receive mentoring and access to the NanoTRIZ Digital Lab (including SciOS, when it is available) free of charge; optional add-ons, if any, are never required and give no advantage in selection, supervision or authorship.

Apply and questions

APPLY FOR THE PROGRAM

Book a Free Consultation — Book a free introductory call (Zoom) with the Founding Director.

Email director@nanotriz.com and we will be happy to help. Parents, guardians and adult applicants can also message us on WhatsApp. We do not exchange private messages with students under 18; please contact us through a parent or guardian.

 

 

Full terms: Terms of Participation · Integrity & Ethical Standards · Publication, Authorship and Participation Guidance

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