Since 2021, CNM has been fostering scientific curiosity, confidence and empowerment among students from underserved communities across the Greater Lisbon area through hands-on experiences, meaningful interactions with researchers and sustained mentoring relationships.
The 5th edition began in February 2026 with an introductory session for all eighth-grade students at Escola Dr. Azevedo Neves, in Amadora. In March, around 100 students participated in a series of activities hosted at both the Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine (GIMM) Foundation, in Oeiras, and the Champalimaud Foundation, in Lisbon. These sessions offered students the opportunity to explore scientific concepts, visit research environments and meet scientists.
From this initial group, around 25 students voluntarily chose to continue into the third and most demanding phase of the programme: a three-month mentoring journey, held between April and June at their school.
Working closely with their mentors, students developed creative projects inspired by science and health. Their ideas ranged from a card game about DNA, RNA and proteins, to imagining the Pink Nurses Academy, a training centre for nurses specialising in breast cancer care, and creating a comic strip featuring a superhero capable of regenerating human organs.
Beyond the projects themselves, the mentoring sessions created a space for dialogue, exploration and mutual learning. Students were encouraged to ask questions, challenge assumptions and reflect on future possibilities for themselves and their communities.
Some left the programme with a renewed interest in science: "I definitely see myself becoming a scientist." Others saw it as an opportunity to think more broadly about their future: "It was cool to think about all the opportunities we can have in the future. We just have to take them." And some remained faithful to other ambitions, while keeping science on the horizon:
"Me, a scientist? If football doesn't work out, I might choose science."
Not every student left wanting to become a scientist and that was never the goal. What matters is to create opportunities to explore, discover and make informed choices.
The mentoring phase would not have been possible without the commitment of the mentors from the GIMM Foundation and the Champalimaud Foundation, who went above and beyond to spark curiosity, build confidence and broaden horizons. Along the way, mentors themselves gained valuable insights through CNM's science communication and mentoring training and, most importantly, through the rich and diverse interactions with the students.
The students’ reflections during the final session revealed the impact this experience had on them. Among the many messages shared, two stood out in particular - a note of appreciation for the mentors “I hope the mentors had as much fun and joy as we did working with them” and a simple yet powerful reflection on the importance of science - “For me, without scientists, the world wouldn’t evolve.”
One of the highlights of the final mentoring session was an unexpected reunion. Former CNM participants, some now in Year 9 and others in Year 10, returned to meet this year's students and share their experiences since completing the programme. Seeing students from different editions of CNM together was a powerful reminder of the programme's lasting impact.
Five editions later, CNM continues to demonstrate the value of sustained engagement between scientists and young people. Since its launch, the programme has reached more than 1,000 students, partnered with four TEIP schools (Priority Intervention Educational Territories) in Lisbon and Amadora, engaged more than 200 scientists from the GIMM Foundation and the Champalimaud Foundation, and benefited from funding from the European Commission.
As one student put it in a final message to the scientific community:
"To all scientists out there: keep up the good work and continue discovering good things."
Text by Catarina Ramos, Co-coordinator of the Champalimaud Foundation Communication, Events & Outreach Team.
