The 15-year-old worked with John Rayner to build a radio antenna made of plasma rather than metal.

She was among 25 year 9 and 10 students to take part in the school's Academic Curriculum Enrichment Science Mentors program, which pairs them with some of the ACT's top scientists in their field of passion to work on projects.

Shamima compared the effectiveness of a plasma antenna, created by heating gas, with a more traditional metal antenna, noting both transmitted electricity.

She was excited to find 666 ABC Canberra came through the plasma antenna far more clear than its metal counterpart.

"The plasma antenna was much better at receiving than the metal antenna, although it wasn't as good at transmitting," she said.

Shamima's pairing with Professor Rayner made her nervous at first, but that quickly turned to excitement when she realised how much they had in common.

"I was quite scared at first, but then it turned out we liked the same thing, which is physics, and that made it a lot easier going forward," she said.

"All of these scientists are very busy, but they're seeing us which is really exciting. A lot of them are high-ranking."

Melrose High science teacher Geoff McNamara began the program in 2008 to connect students with scientific mentors and get them working in real laboratories.

Past projects have covered the fields of pharmaceuticals, aeronautical engineering and astronomy.

Professor Rayner has taken part in the program since its inception.

In addition to the plasma antenna, he has taken part in numerous other physics projects, including a test to see how deep under water a mobile phone can go before losing reception.

He says the students' enthusiasm and imagination is as valuable to him as his mentoring is to his partners.

"Shamima apparently comes in here at lunchtimes, comes in after school, and she's enchanted by what she's doing," he said.

"To see this year after year and their inventiveness is why I keep coming back and doing it."