Research Experiences for Teachers (NSF-RET)

The RET Site: Teachers As Researchers in Computing Classrooms (TARCC) is an NSF-funded program designed to enhance computer science (CS) literacy among high school students by providing K-12 STEM educators with hands-on research experiences. Over three years, 30 educators from eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin will collaborate with university faculty on interdisciplinary projects in Rose Genomics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, Heart Cell Simulations, High Performance Computing (HPC), and Cloud Computing. The program equips teachers with innovative pedagogical approaches, empowering them to modernize CS education and inspire students to pursue STEM careers.

In the summer of 2027, TARCC will host up to 10 high school STEM teachers for an intensive seven-week research experience. Participants will work closely with faculty mentors on cutting-edge research projects, exploring how computational thinking can transform high school computing education. Through professional development, collaborative research, and reflective teaching practices, these educators will gain practical skills to integrate modern CS topics into their classrooms, helping to close the gaps in computing education across the region.

Experience STEM at UW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls, and UW-Stout Polytechnic

To inspire a diverse group of teachers in diverse STEM activities, the RET program will include the following additional events:

• Work with professors on interdisciplinary projects including Rose Genomics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Heart Cell Simulations, High Performance Computing, and Cloud Computing.
• Workshops related to high-performance computing, computational science, ethics and responsible conduct of research, and laboratory safety.
• Seminars in topics such as STEM research, scientific writing, and Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL).
• Guest speaker presentations and field trips.
• Social events.

NSF-RET Summer Projects List

Program Highlights:

• Participants in this RET program will receive a stipend ($10,000).
• All field trips will be arranged for the teacher participants.
• Travel cost will be covered for potential conference presentations of research outcomes.

Program Schedule:

• Week 1 (June 7 – 11): Introductions to Research Teams
• Week 2 (June 14 – 18): Introductions to SoTL
• Week 3 (June 21 – 25): Research Teams
• Week 4 (June 28 – July 2): Research Teams
• Week 5 (July 6 – July 9): 2-3 days Research Teams, 2 days SoTL
• Week 6 (July 12 – July 16): 3 days Research Teams, 2 days SoTL
• Week 7 (July 19 – July 23): SoTL – working on/finishing lesson modules

*SoTL = Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

Our Campuses

Research will be conducted at three Universities of Wisconsin campuses under our faculty mentors. 

More about UW-Eau Claire More about UW-Stout Polytechnic More about UW-River Falls

Ready to apply?

Program dates and application deadlines

Summer 2027 program dates: June 7 – July 23, 2027
Application deadline: TBD
Decision notification: TBD (Notification letters will be sent out to applicants.)

Program eligibility

To be eligible for the NSF-RET program, you must

1. Be a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, or permanent resident of the United States.
2. Be a high school teacher offering STEM courses.
3. Complete this online application by providing supporting documents and a letter of recommendation.

Although we invite individual teachers to apply, we also encourage multiple teachers from the same school/school district to apply, in the interest of allowing them to work together post-summer.

Application information

To complete the 2027 NSF-REU application, you must fill out the application form through NSF-ETAP. The process will include:

• Personal Statement
• CV/Resume
• Transcripts
• One Letter of Reference
• Research topic selection

Apply now!

Applications are not yet being accepted for the 2027 Summer NSF-REU Program, but will be coming soon.