The RET program at USF has the theme of Functional Materials.  The rationale for this focus is that materials science is both highly interdisciplinary (requiring support from a variety of scientific, mathematical and engineering disciplines) and has a pervasive presence in our everyday world.  Materials Science also happens to be a major research emphasis and strength of the Functional Materials Research Institute at the University of South Florida.  

The length of the program is almost 7 weeks, starting on Tuesday, June 14 and concluding on Friday, July 29th.  Stipends for in-service (community college and high school teachers) are $7,000 and stipends for pre-service teachers are $5,200.
RET participants must be community college, high school or pre-service teachers and must be citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States or its possessions.  Community college and high school teachers must currently be teaching a STEM subject at their home institutions.

A new feature for 2016 is that some of the research groups will have a high school student working alongside the in-service teacher, faculty mentor and graduate students. If so, the in-service teacher will be provided an additional $500 stipend under the expectation that he/she will provide some mentoring to the student.

The RET program at USF is funded by the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Directorate for Engineering (ENG), Division of Engineering Education and Centers (EEC).  NSF’s goals for RET programs are:

• to build long-term collaborative relationships between both in-service and pre-service K-12 science, technology, engineering, computer science, and mathematics (STEM) teachers, community college faculty, and the engineering and computer science research community;


• to support the active participation of these teachers and future teachers and community college faculty in research and education projects funded by NSF ENG and CISE;


• to facilitate professional development of K-12 STEM teachers and community college faculty through strengthened partnerships between institutions of higher education and local school districts; and


• to encourage engineering and computer science researchers to build mutually rewarding partnerships with STEM teachers and community college faculty.

The RET in Functional Materials program will accomplish these goals by providing participants (community college and high school faculty and pre-service teachers):

• the opportunity to work on a materials-related research project with USF engineering and science faculty and graduate students.  Teams will consist of one in-service (community college or high school) teacher, one faculty member, and one or more graduate students.  In addition, some teams will also have a pre-service teacher that will provide support to, and be mentored by, the in-service teacher on the team.


• support by a USF College of Education specialist in developing lesson plans.  A requirement of the program is that each participant develop a lesson plan for use at their home institution.


• the opportunity to design, with their fellow participants, a web based educational resource that will house their lesson plans and allow for collaboration between participants after the program ends.  Specifically, we will develop “Materials College”, a web site that will allow placement of lesson plans in context.


• a course on the fundamentals of material science.  This course will help place their research projects within the broader context of materials science.  Each participant will be required to take this course and will receive continuing education credit.


• weekly seminars in which participants can share with each other their research progress and experiences. These brown bag lunches will allow participants to socialize with each other and


• the opportunity for public dissemination of their research findings.  Typically this is done by allowing participants to present posters of their research at USF Research Day.  However, other venues might be used.

If this program sounds exciting to you and you meet the eligibility requirements, please click on the PROGRAM APPLICATION TAB on the HOME PAGE.