Research Experience for Teachers (RET) across the NNCI
The National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) will be offering teachers the opportunity to experience the excitement of nanotechnology research and to share this experience in their classrooms and with their peers.
This program will be offered* to teachers by four NNCI sites: Georgia Institute of Technology (GT), the University of Minnesota (UMN), the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), and Northwestern University (NWU).
The NNCI RET program is 7 weeks:
- 6 weeks in summer at an NNCI site
- Dates for Georgia Tech are June 19 – July 28, 2023
- 1 week during the school year which includes:
- Follow-up visit to your classroom by RET coordinators
- Sharing your experience at the annual meeting of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
Objectives of the NNCI RET Program:
- Grow a multi-site cohort of educators from across the country with research experiences that reflect broad educational, industrial, and societal NSE activities and link them with the Teaching Nano and Emerging Technologies Network, part of the National Nanotechnology Initiative,
- Build upon the library of NSE educational materials developed by the NNIN and broadly disseminate these activities,
- Highlight the work of the NNCI cohort by attending the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) conference and providing a webinar on their curriculum to the Teaching Nano and Emerging Technologies Network, thereby fostering an expansive network of educators integrating NSE curriculum in their classes, and
- Encourage RET participants (RETs) to present their research in journals and professional society meetings.
NNCI RET at Georgia Tech provides:
- Stipend – $5,300
- Travel support to NSTA – up to $1,250
- Classroom materials support – $535
- Hands-on research experience in nanotechnology
- Faculty research advisors and graduate student mentors
RET Application open February 13 – April 14, 2023
List of Summer 2023 RET Project Opportunities (coming soon)
Eligibility for Application
- Must teach in grades 9-12 or be technical college faculty
- Must teach science or technology
- Must live within commuting distance of Georgia Tech
- Contact Leslie O’Neill if you have any questions
- Application deadline – April 14, 2023
Teachers are required to:
- Complete the summer research experience
- Attend all summer meetings, workshops, and seminars
- Develop an instructional unit based on the experience
- Work with NNCI support personnel in the classroom
- Attend and participate at the National Science Teachers Association’s National Conference on Science Education
- Provide a webinar on their curriculum to the Teaching Nano and Emerging Technologies Network
NNCI Follow-up Activities and Support:
Teachers will be required to:
- Implement their lesson in their classroom with RET mentor/coordinator support
- Attend NSTA National Conference, share their RET experience at the NNCI booth, and present their lesson during the NNCI RET presentation
Each NNCI host site will:
- Maintain communication with participants through e-mail, LinkedIn group, and internet sharing of materials
- Visit school during lesson implementation to assist and do follow-up RET evaluation
- Provide travel to NSTA National Conference and submit NNCI RET presentation proposal
NSTA National Conference on Science Education
Dates and Location TBD
• Share your experience at the annual meeting of the NSTA NNCI booth
• Participate in NNCI RET Nanotechnology session
• Network with NNCI RET participants from other NNCI sites
* The NNCI RET program hopes to be able to host educators during the summer of 2023 and is moving forward with preparations. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sites are uncertain if they will be able to welcome educators on campus this June. We want to make you aware that, as a networked activity between four universities, if one site is unable to participate, all sites will cancel. If you are accepted to the program, your site’s NNCI RET coordinator will inform you immediately if we are forced to cancel the NNCI RET for summer 2023. We hope you still apply and look forward to working with you this summer.