Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) (discontinued)

For this discontinued program, NJIT partnered with Rutgers New Brunswick's Center on Structured Organic Particulate Systems (C-SOPS)—a National Science Foundation-funded Engineering Research Center—to provide workshops and laboratory experiences for pre-college teachers. 

Educator Programs

These Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) kept educators informed about engineering research and design challenges, enabling them to incorporate engineering concepts into their classroom lessons and stimulate students’ awareness of engineering as a field of endeavor and a possible career choice.

The program involved 12 high school in-service teachers and 6 pre-service teachers a year, engaging them in a 6-week summer research program under the guidance of faculty supervisors, with follow-up programs during each school year.

Major specific program objectives were;

(i) to provide the RET teachers with 6 weeks of discovery-based research experiences in carefully selected scientific projects, interconnected via technology-driven ERC test beds from which they developed basic knowledge and skills in the area of pharmaceutical particulate and composite systems;

(ii) to collaborate with the in-service teachers to develop age-appropriate modules/lessons and other teaching materials to be implemented in their classrooms during the academic year; and (iii) to offer follow-up programs including workshops and classroom visitations by the NJIT faculty and graduate mentors.

The program stemmed from C-SOPS's cutting-edge pharmaceutical research and trained teachers in inquiry-based research and engineering concepts and helped them develop curriculum material that led their students to a better appreciation of science and engineering.

Archived materials from the RET Program

Educational Components Workshop Handouts

Lesson plans developed by participants can be accessed by year of participation. Each lesson plan link also includes a brief description of the research projects. Appropriate acknowledgement and credits are listed at the end of each lesson file.

Lesson plans developed by RET participants in previous years