A number of research programs for teachers are available across the nation. The first Research Experience for Science Teachers (REST) program was started by Materials World Modules Program Director Professor R.P.H. Chang at Northwestern University in 1993. Since then, the program has spread to campuses across the United States and has been modified to encourage the participation from teachers in a variety of disciplines, like mathematics, history, and the language arts. Under its new title, Research Experience for Teachers (RET), teachers from a variety of disciplines can work together on curriculum development in the efforts to allow some flexibility to the rigid discipline barriers.

For a listing of RET programs across the United States, please visit: http://www.retnetwork.org/retsites.html

Currently, the Materials World Modules program offers an eight-week summer Research Experience for Science Teacher’s in cooperation with the Materials Research Science & Engineering Center (MRSEC) at Northwestern University . For more information about this professional development opportunity, please visit the NU-MRSEC website at: http://www.northwestern.edu/mrsec/content/educational_programs/index.htm.