Research Experience for Teachers (RET)
Program Description

2008 Program Dates
June 30 - August 9
Application deadline- February 15

• 6-Week Summer Program
• Obtain Continuing Education Credits
• Develop Research Derived, Standards Based Curricula
• Develop a UMN Research Connection
• Participate in Cutting Edge Inquiry-Based Science in University Laboritories

The RET program is part of our long-range strategy for reaching out to multiple sectors of the educational community. The UMN MRSEC RET program brings high school teachers into this mix of highly motivated, multicultural students. The RET is a six-week program that, combined UMN MRSEC summer programs provide an ideal intellectual setting for quality research, high achievement and teaching, and an inspirational environment and unique experience for high school teachers.

RET participants will be active members of our faculty's research groups, conducting research in one of four areas: Microstructured Polymers, Crystalline Organic Semiconductors, Magnetic Heterostructures, the Nanoparticle-Based Materials Proto-IRG, or one of the various Seed groups. Each RET participant will work in a team under the direction of a specific principal investigator (PI), with post doctoral/graduate students from the PI's group and, where appropriate, with a REU student. They will also participate in activities in the MRSEC Characterization Facility (U of M CharFac). Frank Snowden, the Associate Director for Education and Human Resources will work with the PI's and the Teacher Research Coordinator (TRC), who will coordinate the activities of the teachers during the summer and oversee the completion of a standards based curriculum element.

The RET participants will be included in the workshops and courses available during the summer program.
The workshop and course topics include:

• Laboratory safety and hazardous waste training
• Keeping a labratory notebook
• Attendance at technical courses, such as scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction where they learn the theory and basic techniques.
• Work collaboratively with other MRSEC summer participants

For more information, contact Phil Engen.

To apply, please complete the online application below: