Paul writes, "My best RET experience so far. I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity."
Penn State’s Interdisciplinary Materials Research Experience for Teachers Program (RET)
Penn State’s Physics Department and Center for Nanoscale Science jointly host a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded Research Experience for Teachers (RET).
The goal of the RET program at Penn State is to provide opportunities to the participating STEM teachers to engage in hands-on research projects with faculty mentors in Materials Chemistry, Physics, and Nanotechnology. Engineering, technology, science, and math teachers, as well as pre-service teachers, with broad interests across disciplines are eligible to apply.
The teachers selected to take part in this six-week program will receive hands-on nanoscience and technology experience through research, with applications to bio-engineering, chemistry, electronics, materials science, optics, optoelectronics, physics, and/or the life sciences. A scientific mini-symposium, attended by the participating teachers, provides the RET teachers the opportunity to present their research work to their peers in an oral and poster format.
Additional professional development activities include seminars, demonstrations, and workshops geared towards connecting state-of-the-art research with K-12 education. Concepts of sustainability as it relates to materials science and the research enterprise are a core component of the professional development content.
TO APPLY:
Click here for a link to the details and application.
(NOTE: Due to funding constraints, all applicants must be US citizens.)
Along with the application form, your application should include:
– Two letters of recommendation, one of which should be from your school principal. These letters must be submitted separately by mail or e-mail to the address below.
– A current resume
– A student demographic profile (optional)
– A sample of a lesson you have designed and implemented in your classroom
The application deadline is Monday, April 15, 2024.
WANT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE RET PROGRAM?
Click here.
Or, contact:
Kristin A. Dreyer
Program Director for Education & Outreach
Penn State MRSEC - Center for Nanoscale Science
104 Davey Lab, Box #C91, University Park, PA 16802
Email: kad4 @ psu.edu (remove spaces)