New Jersey Institute of Technology is now a NSF-RET Site at Engineering Research Center (ERC on Structured Organic Particulate Systems). The Center for Pre-College Programs is collaborating with NSF sponsored, four university Engineering Research Center on Structured Organic Particulate Systems (C-SOPS).to offer this Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program in support of the outreach activities of the ERC   Each year, the program involves twelve (12) high school in-service teachers and six (6) pre-service teachers, engaging them in a six-week summer research program under the guidance of faculty supervisors, with follow-up programs during each school year. Major specific program objectives are; (i) Provide the RET teachers with six weeks of discovery-based research experiences in carefully selected scientific research projects, inter-connected via technology driven ERC test beds, from which they can develop basic knowledge and skills in the area of pharmaceutical particulate and composite systems that they can incorporate into their teaching practices; (ii) Collaborate with the in-service teachers to develop age-appropriate modules/lessons, and other teaching materials to be implemented in their classrooms during the Academic Year; and (iii) Offer follow-up programs including workshops and classroom visitations by the NJIT faculty and graduate mentors.

The program stems from cutting-edge C-SOPS research projects dealing with topics in pharmaceutical materials structure, function, performance, and processing, geared towards a unifying goal of improving pharmaceutical products. The ensuing fundamental knowledge serves to improve the design and quality of pharmaceutical products, while helping high school teachers develop curriculum material that will help their students better appreciate science and engineering, and train teachers in inquiry-based research, and in concepts of engineering with a focus on the area of pharmaceutical engineering.

Applications for 2012 are now being accepted

In addition to the research experience, and as a critical component of their professional development experience, participants are provided the opportunity and guidance to translate their research into content and activities that can be implemented as part of their classroom practice.

The link to the “Tools for Developing Standards-Based Lesson Plans” provides:

• PowerPoint that describes the process for development and implantation of standards-based lesson plans.
• .Template for preparing an “Outcomes Matrix”.
• Template for  “Lesson Plan” development.

Lesson plans developed by participants can be accessed by year of participation.  Each lesson plan link also includes a brief description of the research projects.  Appropriate acknowledgement and credits are listed at the end of each lesson file.

Lesson plans developed by RET participants in previous years (click on links):

• RET 2011 (coming soon)
• RET 2010
• Prior to RET 2010