NSF RET Teachers Successfully Complete Program in CIVS
Congratulations to the 7 teachers who completed the six-week NSF Research Experience for Teachers summer program at CIVS. At the end of the summer program, the teachers presented their research projects and how their research will be implemented in their course curriculum over the school year.
In addition to carrying out their research, teachers developed lesson plans to use with their students during the school year that tie their research experiences to academic standards and introduce them to potential careers in research and industry.
RET facilitator and CIVS Senior Research Scientist John “Jack” Moreland concluded the session by presenting the teachers with their certificates of achievement during the RET Teacher Ceremony. This event celebrates their achievement and a chance to showcase their future goals for enhancing STEM education and students’ STEM interest.
Congratulations to the following area teachers who joined CIVS for this summer’s RET program:
- Kevin Kaluf, Kankakee Valley High School
- Abigail Kraupner, Highland High School
- Aaron Longacre, Merrillville High School
- Michelle Moreland, Hobart Middle School
- Erin Rawls, Crown Point High School
- Rami Salahieh, Ivy Tech Community College
- Tiffany White, Homewood Flossmoor High School
PNW CIVS is a site for the RET program entitled with “Simulation and Visualization Technologies for Innovative Industrial Solutions”, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The goal of the RET program is to enhance STEM education and stimulate high school and community college students’ STEM interest through a partnership with participant teachers, university mentors, and industry engineers using simulation and visualization technologies for innovative industrial solutions. The RET program consists of a six-week summer research program and full-academic year activities focused on using simulation and visualization technologies in smart manufacturing to increase energy efficiency, optimize production, predict mechanical failures, and improve safety and product quality. During the summer, the RET teaches conduct research experience in their selected topics and then develop teach materials based on their research experience, which are impleaded in their classes during academic year.