Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science | 24 503

Opportunity Information: Apply for 24 503

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 24-503) funds hands-on summer research experiences that place K-14 educators into authentic engineering and computer science research settings. The central goal is to build long-term, two-way partnerships among universities, community colleges, school districts, and, when appropriate, industry partners. Rather than treating teachers as temporary visitors, the program is designed to create sustained collaborations where educators contribute their classroom expertise while gaining real research experience that can meaningfully shape what and how they teach.

A defining feature of this solicitation is the emphasis on reciprocal exchange. Participating K-14 educators strengthen their content knowledge in engineering or computing by working alongside research faculty (and sometimes industry mentors). They then translate what they learn into classroom activities, lesson plans, and curricula that help students better understand engineering and computing fields and see clearer pathways into related coursework and careers. At the same time, the university-based research teams benefit by learning directly from educators about current K-14 classrooms, instructional practices, pedagogy, standards and curricula, and the practical realities schools face. In other words, the program is meant to improve both research-to-classroom translation and researchers understanding of precollege education environments.

NSF supports two main participation routes under this opportunity. The first is an RET Site award, which is a standalone grant led by an eligible institution to run a structured RET program. The second route is an RET Supplement, which provides additional funding tied to engineering (ENG) or computer and information science and engineering (CISE) research awards. Supplements may be requested by active ENG or CISE awardees, or they may be included as part of a proposal submission to ENG or CISE for a new or renewal grant or cooperative agreement (in that case, the eligibility rules of the underlying funding opportunity also apply).

Eligibility to submit RET Site proposals is limited to US-based Institutions of Higher Education, including both two-year and four-year colleges and universities (community colleges included), as long as they are accredited and have a campus located in the United States. These institutions submit on behalf of their faculty. Minority-Serving Institutions, community colleges, and institutions with strong programs serving persons with disabilities are specifically encouraged to apply, reflecting the program interest in broadening participation and expanding access to engineering and computing pathways for more students and communities.

If a proposal includes any funding that would go to an international branch campus of a US institution (including through subawards or consultant arrangements), NSF requires an explicit justification. The proposal must explain the benefits of performing work at the international branch campus and clearly argue why those activities cannot be carried out at the US-based campus instead. This condition is meant to keep the core work anchored in the US context while allowing international branch involvement only when it is genuinely necessary and advantageous.

The principal investigator requirements are also specific. For an RET Site proposal, the PI must be a full-time, tenured or tenure-track faculty member in an engineering/engineering technology department or in a computer and/or information science department broadly defined (examples named include human-computer interaction, software engineering, networking science, and informatics) at the submitting US institution. The PI must be a research-and-teaching faculty member, not someone serving primarily in an administrative role such as a dean or an outreach coordinator. This requirement signals NSF intent for the RET Site to be tightly integrated with an active research environment and led by someone positioned to connect educators directly with research activity.

From a practical standpoint, this opportunity sits in NSF science and technology research and development funding and is offered as a grant under CFDA numbers 47.041 and 47.070. The listed agency is the National Science Foundation, and the original closing date provided is October 9, 2024. Overall, the program is best understood as a structured way to connect K-14 education with cutting-edge engineering and computer science research so teachers can bring credible, research-informed experiences back to their students while researchers gain a clearer view of what works in real classrooms and why.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041, 47.070.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-10-31.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-10-09. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for 24 503

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