Research Experience for Teachers of Engineering (RETE)

The Research Experience for Teachers in Engineering (RETE) is a National Science Foundation program providing support to UNH's Research to Inspire Students in Engineering (RISE) project.

The application period for 2021 is now closed, and all applications received are under review.

The University of New Hampshire Dept. of Engineering and The Joan and James Leitzel Center for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Education is offering its Research Experience for Teachers in Engineering program. Please review the program description and information on teacher benefits and expectations for participation. At the bottom you will find instructions on how to apply for the program. We are in the process of determining the number of projects and their formats for Summer 2021. Because of ongoing COVID-19 constraints and restrictions project may range from on-site, completely virtual, or hybrid. We strive in this program to bring high quality, authentic, and engaging research training to participating teachers.

The Research Experiences for Teachers in Engineering (RETE) program is funded by the National Science Foundation's Directorate for Engineering (ENG-1711701) The specific goals for the RETE are to:

• Provide pre- and in-service middle school, high school, teacher-leaders with an intensive summer research experience in an engineering field related to Advanced Manufacturing.
• Create a community of educators, including teacher-leaders, faculty, and university graduate students, with research experience and teaching knowledge to assist one another as they develop and implement inquiry-based engineering activities.
• Provide access to equipment and materials for inquiry-based learning modules.

The 2021 RETE program will be held from Monday, June 28 to Friday, August 6, 2021. At this time, we do not know if we can offer this as a residential program … any on-campus participation may require commuting. The duration will be six continuous weeks (there is scheduling flexibility for July 4 and vacations), with up to seven days of activities during the academic year.  Activities take place during a normal five-day per week schedule with holidays and weekends off (except where research schedule dictates).  This is a full-time commitment. Pending determination of COVID-19 restrictions, room and board (in a single-occupancy UNH dormitory) may be provided for individuals wishing to stay on campus to minimize commuting time and expenses and to take full advantage of university resources (laboratories, libraries, computer clusters, etc.).   Commuters will receive a meal card loaded with meals for lunch and for occasional dinners with the group. There will be three to four Academic Year sessions to assist teachers to translate and transfer some aspects of their research training into their teaching practice and curriculum.

Benefits to  participating in the program include:

• Placement in an engineering research group, led by a UNH engineering faculty member;
• Conducting authentic engineering research as part of team of faculty and graduate students;
• Access to state-of-the art laboratory, fabrication, testing, and simulation facilities;
• $750/wk stipend;
• Room and board for residential campus experience (pending review of COVID-19 restrictions); lunch and mileage reimbursement for commuting participants;
• Up to $1,250 allowance for purchase of related materials and supplies to bring engineering curriculum that you create into your classroom
• Participation in a Community of Learners comprised of teachers working to bring engineering research practice into the classroom.
• School visits by graduate students in support of your teaching
   

Participant Expectations:

• Daily attendance and full participation in the six-week program.
• Daily and weekly progress toward research objectives and goals.
• Participation in weekly lunches to discuss research progress, transfer of research into the classroom, and curriculum enhancements to incorporate engineering research.
• Participation in two to three 1-day Academic Year  sessions ($125/day stipend provided) that provide time to work on transfer of research practice into teaching practice.
• Participation in project evaluation surveys and focus groups to determine if the RETE model is reaching its programmatic goals.
   

To Apply:

1.  Go to:  https://learnforlife.unh.edu/RETE 2021 application
2.  Create your User Account (You can keep this User Account to apply and register for future UNH Professional Development programs)
3.  Complete all application materials including the File Upload requirement.
4.  Submit

(Note: Please report any problems directly to me, if you encounter them during your application process.)

Stephen R. Hale, Ph.D.
Leitzel Center for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Education
University of New Hampshire
Durham, NH
steve.hale@unh.edu

(O) 603.862.4758
(F) 603.862.1251
(C) 603.767.7895