Research Experience for Teachers (RET)

Applications now open for Summer 2026 Research Experience for Teachers (RET)!

 

 

Overview

Opportunities are now available to participate as a part of the Center for Smart Streetscapes RET program and the ECO-CBET Environmental Engineering RET program.

The ECO-CBET Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program allows experienced Physics and Chemistry teachers to deepen their familiarity with environmental engineering research. As a part of NSF 2420518, Professor Ngai Yin Yip is developing processes to retrieve critical metals from municipal solid waste landfills to support a more sustainable economy. Teachers will work for 20 hours intensively in the first week of the program at Columbia SEAS, learning background concepts of the research and working hands-on in Professor Yip's lab in collaboration with Engineering Outreach Program Management. In the remaining 60 hours of the program, teachers will work in partnership with the Outreach team to conduct field visits at local MSW sites and City Agency offices and develop capstone lesson plans to be used in their own classrooms this fall.

The CS3 Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program offers a valuable opportunity for K-12 STEM educators to engage in hands-on research within the context of smart streetscapes. This program aligns with CS3's commitment to fostering a deep understanding of technology and engineering concepts among educators. RET participants work closely with CS3 researchers from Columbia University and Lehman College, gaining firsthand experience in cutting-edge projects related to smart streetscapes and urban technology.

In addition to hands-on research experience, the program includes personal and professional development workshops and seminars, focused on culturally inclusive pedagogy in the classroom, as well as community impact driven research. Participants will be engaged in the program for roughly 20 hours a week.

 

Program Details for ECO-CBET RET

  • Hybrid Program which kicks off for 20 hours in person from July 20-22, 2026.
  • 80 total hours in the program
  • In-person sessions hosted at the Mudd Building on Columbia University's Morningside Campus
  • Teachers are paid a $4,000 stipend to support them over the course of the program ($50 per hour).
  • Teacher Responsibilities:
    • Travel to local NYC metro area sites with Columbia Outreach staff to see where MSW is managed and leachate streams can be observed. Connect with local governmental departments responsible for MSW management and ecological impact.
    • Record experiences while in the lab and in the field with voice notes, photography, and micro-blog posts.
    • Develop a high school standards-aligned learning module that they will pilot in their classrooms in Fall 2026.
    • Develop a train-the-trainer professional development module to generate broader impact within the NYC STEM teacher community.
    • Deliver turnkey PD in a digital format through partnership with STEMTeachersNYC, which will thereafter be available in the public domain for all US teachers.
    • Complete a program assessment survey

Program Details for CS3 RET

  • Four-week session (July 13-Aug. 7, 2026)
  • 20 hours per week
  • In-person sessions hosted at the Center for Smart Streetscapes (CS3) on Columbia University's Manhattanville Campus
  • Teachers are paid a $5,000 stipend to support them over the summer ($50 per hour).
  • Teacher Responsibilities:
    • Attend all summer program activities
    • Design and implement a lesson plan based on CS3 research within a classroom with grade 6-12 students during the academic year following the summer program
    • Complete assigned research project, final presentation, and report
    • Complete a program assessment survey

Eligibility

  • Must be math or science certified.
  • U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents.
  • Must teach at a public middle or high school located in NYC, for CS3 RET, a strong preference for teachers at Harlem schools.
  • Must receive endorsement by the school administration.

Apply Now

Apply to the ECO-CBET RET Opportunity. 

Apply to the CS3 RET Opportunity. 

Applications for both tracks will close on May 31, 2026.

Interviews for both tracks begin on May 18, 2026.

Decisions released on June 12, 2026.