Summer Program for NYC STEM Teachers: NSF COSMOS-NewLAW Research Experience for Teachers (RET)

The NSF COSMOS-NewLAW Research Experience for Teachers (RET) is an intense summer program for teachers who learn how to master the most advanced techniques in wireless technology with help from researchers at Columbia University and NYU. The teachers work at the MetroTech Center Campus at NYU, designing web-based lab experiments that illustrate the theory and practice of wireless networking. Since Fall 2018, participating teachers have incorporated the science, math, and computer science lab experiments developed through this program within their classrooms, giving students hands-on experience with the next wave of mobile technology.

Over the period of six weeks, the teachers will:

  1. Carry out cutting edge educational research in the field of wireless networks, Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing, collaborating with a faculty mentor.
  2. Collaborate with graduate students in the research laboratory of the faculty (aka principal investigator, PI).
  3. Collaborate with other teachers in the program.
  4. Collaborate in building a library of web-based, experiential lessons, which they will use in their classroom in the upcoming year.
  • Teachers MUST be math or science certified.
  • Teachers must be U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents.
  • Must teach at a public middle or high school located in a NYC borough.
  • Must have at least three years of full-time teaching experience in science, math, or pre-engineering disciplines.
  • Must receive endorsement by school administration.

Teachers must also be responsible for the following:

  • Attend all program activities
  • Complete assigned research and curriculum project, final presentation and report
  • Participate in academic year activities, such as presentations, meetings, and conferences
  • Implement a COSMOS lesson within classroom with students during academic year
  • Submit program assessment
  • COSMOS Educational Toolkit - A great resource for free lessons, labs, and curriculum materials for math, science, and computer science classrooms -- created from previous years' COSMOS RET cohorts. 
  • COSMOS: A New Generation of Wireless Technologies - A video introduction to the research on wireless technologies. 
  • COSMOS Testbed Main Website - Main website for the COSMOS project. The COSMOS project is aimed at design, development, and deployment of a city-scale advanced wireless testbed in order to support real-world experimentation on next-generation wireless technologies and applications.

COSMOS-NewLAW Summer Program Teachers Receive Awards from National Science Foundation (March 11, 2021)

COSMOS-NewLAW RET/REM program kicks off its fourth-year summer session (July 6, 2021)

  • The Verizon Foundation names 5G EdTech Challenge winners and awards a total of $1M to bring classroom solutions to life: The Verizon Foundation commits to be the first to introduce 5G technology to schools across the U.S. in 2019. From AR and VR experiences, to machine learning, AI and mixed reality, projects were chosen for their ability to solve for student engagement, teacher preparedness and special needs support. (February 7, 2019 - on Verizon Corporate)

  • 5G in 3D: Immersive COSMOS Education Toolkit Wins Verizon EdTech Challenge: Up to 100 times faster than current wireless networks, 5G is being touted as the future of entertainment and telemedicine. But how might it begin to transform education? For a glimpse of what’s next, look no further than an immersive new educational toolkit in development from NYU and Columbia Engineering researchers with public school teachers throughout New York City. (February 8, 2019 - on Columbia Engineering)

  • Racing Huawei to 5G | Plugged In with Greta Van Susteren: Dr. Gil Zussman is featured on Voice of America (VOA) News, talking about the COSMOS project and bringing 5G technology to Harlem. (April 3, 2019 - on Voice of America News)

  • With 5G on the Horizon, Researchers Build Experimental Network in Harlem: Fifth generation mobile networks, better known as “5G,” promise ultra-fast connections and more reliability. But getting these networks up and running won’t happen overnight, and only a handful of U.S. cities have initial access. New York City is building an experimental network that tests the limits of 5G and beyond. (April 22, 2019 - on Voice of America News)

  • FCC Announces COSMOS As One of the Two First Innovation Zones in the Nation: The Federal Communications Commission today announced the creation of its first two Innovation Zones, in New York City and Salt Lake City. These Innovation Zones will be city-scale test beds for advanced wireless communications and network research, including 5G networks. (September 20, 2019 - on SmartCitiesDive)

  • AT&T, NYU Tandon, Columbia Host 5G Showcase for NYC Teachers, Students: AT&T engineers and researchers from Rutgers University, Columbia University and New York University (NYU) Tandon School of Engineering, three of the universities building one of the country’s first and largest real-world testbeds of advanced wireless communications, hosted New York City teachers and their students for a 5G technology showcase. (December 17, 2019)