Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science
The RET in Engineering and Computer Science grant provides K-14 educators with summer research experiences to enhance teaching in computing and engineering.
Funder: U.S. National Science Foundation
Due Dates: October 13, 2027 (RET Site full proposals)
Funding Amounts: $5.8 million anticipated annually; Sites: $600,000 for up to three years; Supplements: up to $15,000 per participant for one year
Summary: Supports authentic engineering and computer science research experiences for K–14 educators and translation into classroom curricula.
Key Information: Site PIs must be full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty with research and teaching responsibilities, not administrators.
Description
The Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program supports authentic research experiences for K–14 STEM educators in areas supported by NSF’s Engineering (ENG) and Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) directorates. Led by ENG in collaboration with CISE, it funds independent RET Sites and supplements to research awards. Participants may include pre-service and in-service K–12 teachers and community college faculty.
The program builds sustained partnerships among universities, community colleges, school districts, and industry. Educators strengthen their disciplinary knowledge and develop classroom activities and curricula that introduce students to engineering and computing pathways. Research faculty, in turn, learn about classroom practices, pedagogy, and educational environments. Sites combine a coherent research theme, mentoring, curriculum development, and academic-year follow-up.
