Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science

The National Science Foundation (NSF) invites proposals for the Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science program. Administered by the Directorates for Engineering (ENG) and Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), the program provides authentic summer research experiences for K-14 educators—including K-12 teachers and community college faculty—to strengthen teaching of engineering and computing concepts and to build sustainable partnerships between academic institutions, school systems, and industry. The goal is to enhance educators’ disciplinary knowledge and to translate that knowledge into classroom curricula, while also improving researchers’ understanding of educational practice. RET supports two mechanisms: independent “Sites” and “Supplements” to existing NSF-funded projects. RET Sites are competitive, stand-alone awards made to U.S. institutions of higher education for three-year projects providing summer research experiences for cohorts of at least eight teachers. Sites must focus on a coherent engineering or computer science research theme and include a minimum six-week on-site experience supplemented by academic-year follow-up. Teachers develop classroom modules and curricular materials directly linked to their research, supported by mentoring from faculty, graduate students, and where applicable, industry partners. Projects emphasizing participation from underrepresented groups or high-needs school districts are encouraged. Each Site must include high-quality mentoring, professional development in research ethics and laboratory safety, and dissemination of products such as lesson plans through repositories like TeachEngineering.org. RET Supplements provide additional support to ongoing or newly proposed NSF research projects within ENG or CISE. They fund one or more K-14 educators to participate in authentic research experiences aligned with the host project for up to one year. Each participant receives a stipend of up to $15,000, including up to $2,000 for classroom materials and supplies. Supplements must describe the teacher’s role in the research, mentoring structure, plans for classroom translation, and sustained follow-up. Participation of teachers from underrepresented backgrounds and those serving diverse student populations is strongly encouraged, and supplements may also be integrated into existing Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites or international research settings through NSF’s Office of International Science and Engineering. Across both mechanisms, the program’s anticipated annual budget is $5.8 million, supporting approximately nine Site awards per year in addition to multiple supplements. Site budgets may not exceed $600,000 total over three years (up to $200,000 per year), with individual participant costs capped at $15,000 per year. Cost sharing is prohibited, though Sites may propose additional support from collaborating institutions. Awards are issued as standard or continuing grants depending on project structure. Proposals are reviewed under NSF’s merit review criteria—Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts—with additional emphasis on participant recruitment, mentoring quality, curricular development, and academic-year engagement. Full proposals must be submitted via Research.gov or Grants.gov in accordance with the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Letters of Intent and preliminary proposals are not required. For RET Sites, proposals are due January 29 2024 and October 9 2024, and on the second Wednesday in October annually thereafter. RET Supplements may be submitted at any time consistent with the parent award’s active status. Projects are expected to comply with NSF’s harassment-prevention policy and Build America Buy America requirements. PIs must submit annual and final project reports via Research.gov, and Sites are encouraged to use NSF’s Education & Training Application (ETAP) system to manage teacher applications and demographics. Typical performance periods are up to three years for Sites and one year for Supplements, with continuing annual deadlines establishing an ongoing program cycle. Primary contacts include Amelia S. Greer (703-292-2552, agreer@nsf.gov), Patricia Simmons (703-292-5143, psimmons@nsf.gov), Allyson Kennedy (703-292-8950, aykenned@nsf.gov), and Matthew Verleger (703-292-2961, mverlege@nsf.gov). The solicitation and full application instructions are available on https://www.nsf.gov under program NSF 24-503.