Research Experiences for Teachers in Engineering and Computer Science

Research Experiences for Teachers in Engineering and Computer Science is sponsored by National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Engineering. This program aims to enhance the professional development of K-12 science educators through research experience at the emerging frontiers of science to bring new knowledge into the classroom.

NSF 24-503: Research Experiences for Teachers in Engineering and Computer Science | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation Active funding opportunity This document is the current version. Important information for proposers and award recipients All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in the funding opportunity and in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and its supplements .

All NSF grants and cooperative agreements are subject to the applicable set of NSF award terms and conditions . NSF has updated its research security policies for NSF funded projects. NSF 24-503: Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science Download the solicitation (PDF, 0.

9mb) National Science Foundation Directorate for Engineering Engineering Education and Centers Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering Division of Computer and Network Systems Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p. m.

submitter's local time): Second Wednesday in October, Annually Thereafter Important Information And Revision Notes The teacher stipend amount for RET Sites and Supplements has been increased from a maximum of $10,000 to $15,000 including up to $2,000 for the cost of materials, equipment, software, and other supplies for developing classroom instructions and experiments.

The required number of participants for RET Sites has been changed to 8-10 teachers. NSF's Education & Training Application (ETAP) is described and encouraged as a means of managing teacher applications and collecting teacher demographic information. Additional detail is included on RET teacher participant reporting requirements.

A description of a new partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE), which offers the possibility of DOE co-funding for relevant RET Site proposals, has been added to the "Other Opportunities" section.

Any proposal submitted in response to this solicitation should be submitted in accordance with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted.

The NSF PAPPG is regularly revised and it is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets the requirements specified in this solicitation and the applicable version of the PAPPG. Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement.

Summary Of Program Requirements Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science The Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science program supports authentic summer research experiences for K-14 educators to foster long-term collaborations between universities, community colleges, school districts, and industry partners.

With this solicitation, the Directorates for Engineering (ENG) and Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) focus on a reciprocal exchange of expertise between K-14 educators and research faculty and (when applicable) industry mentors.

K-14 educators will enhance their scientific disciplinary knowledge in engineering or computer science and translate their research experiences into classroom activities and curricula to broaden their students’ awareness of and participation in computing and engineering pathways.

At the same time, the hosting research faculty will deepen their understanding of classroom practices, current curricula, pedagogy, and K-14 educational environments. Cognizant Program Officer(s): Please note that the following information is current at the time of publishing. See program website for any updates to the points of contact.

Amelia S. Greer, ENG/EEC, Patricia Simmons, ENG/EEC, Allyson Kennedy, CISE/CNS, Matthew A. Verleger, telephone: (703) 292-2961, email: mverlege@nsf.

gov Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s): --- Computer and Information Science and Engineering Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant or Continuing Grant Estimated Number of Awards: Anticipated Funding Amount: The total anticipated annual funding for both RET Sites and Supplements is approximately $5,800,000 per year, subject to the availability of funds.

It is anticipated that approximately 9 Site awards will be made per year. The maximum total request for a Site is $600,000 for a duration of up to three years. Supplements are limited to a maximum of $15,000 per teacher and/or community college faculty for a duration of one year, subject to the availability of funds.

Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) - Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members.

Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US institution of higher education (including through use of subawards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the US campus.

Minority-Serving Institutions, community colleges, and institutions with strong programs serving persons with disabilities, are encouraged to apply. RET Supplement to an existing award: Active ENG or CISE awardees. RET Supplemental funding request submitted as part of a proposal to ENG or CISE for a new or renewal grant or cooperative agreement: Eligibility requirements of the specific funding opportunity apply.

The principal investigator of a RET in Engineering and Computer Science Site proposal must have a full-time, tenured or tenure-track faculty appointment within a College/Department of Engineering or Engineering Technology or a College/Department of Computer and/or Information Science broadly defined [including e.g., Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Software Engineering, Networking Science, Informatics] within the submitting US IHE.

The PI must be a full-time Engineering and/or Computer Science faculty member whose primary job responsibilities are research and teaching and not a faculty member who is involved in an administrative capacity such as a dean or outreach coordinator. Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: There are no restrictions or limits.

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or co-PI: An individual may be listed as a PI or co-PI on no more than one RET site proposal per annual deadline. Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions A. Proposal Preparation Instructions Letters of Intent: Not required Preliminary Proposal Submission: Not required Full Proposals submitted via Research.

gov: NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) guidelines apply. The complete text of the PAPPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www. nsf.

gov/publications/pub_summ. jsp? ods_key=pappg .

Full Proposals submitted via Grants. gov: NSF Grants. gov Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Applications via Grants.

gov guidelines apply (Note: The NSF Grants. gov Application Guide is available on the Grants. gov website and on the NSF website at: https://www.

nsf. gov/publications/pub_summ. jsp?

ods_key=grantsgovguide ). Cost Sharing Requirements: Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited. Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations apply.

Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information. Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p. m.

submitter's local time): Second Wednesday in October, Annually Thereafter Proposal Review Information Criteria National Science Board approved criteria. Additional merit review criteria apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Award Administration Information Standard NSF award conditions apply. Additional reporting requirements apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

The Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program supports active participation in science, engineering, and education research by K-14 STEM educators. RET proposals are welcome in any of the research areas supported by the CISE and ENG directorates.

The RET program seeks to support authentic summer research experiences for K-14 STEM educators to foster long-term collaborations between universities, community colleges, school districts, and industry partners. With this solicitation, the National Science Foundation focuses on a reciprocal exchange of expertise between K-14 STEM educators and research faculty, and (when applicable) industry mentors.

Through high-quality mentorship, K-14 STEM educators will enhance their scientific disciplinary knowledge in engineering or computer science and translate their research experiences into classroom activities and curricula. At the same time, the hosting research faculty will deepen their understanding of classroom practices, current curricula, pedagogy, and K-14 educational environments.

Participation of K-14 STEM educators in active research is an excellent way to reach broadly into the teacher talent pool of the U.S., facilitating the ability of educators to teach engineering and computer science concepts in a compelling way.

Through an RET experience, educators can better encourage, stimulate, and guide their students to seek engineering and/or computer science careers, especially students historically underrepresented in these disciplines. This solicitation features two mechanisms for support of K-14 educator research: RET Sites and RET Supplements.

The RET program encourages the active participation of K-14 educators in ongoing engineering and/or computer science research activities through Site awards and Supplements. RET Sites and Supplements can include pre- and/or in-service K-12 teachers and/or community college faculty as participants.

A RET Site proposal must be submitted by a College, School, or Department of Engineering, Engineering Technology, or Computer and/or Information Science. NSF’s Directorates for Engineering (ENG) and Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) strongly encourage all grantees to make special efforts to identify talented K-14 educators for participation in this RET opportunity.

RET projects offer an opportunity to tap the nation's diverse teacher talent pool and broaden participation in engineering and computer science. Partnerships with inner city, rural, or other high-needs schools are especially encouraged. Proposals emphasizing broadening participation of the full spectrum of diverse talents that society has to offer are also encouraged.

This includes participation of K-14 educators who are themselves underrepresented in engineering and computer science, or K-14 educators who serve underrepresented students in engineering and computer science. RET Sites and Supplements should focus on a reciprocal exchange of expertise between K-14 STEM educators and research faculty and/or industry mentors.

K-14 STEM educators will enhance their scientific disciplinary knowledge in engineering or computer science. At the same time, the hosting research faculty will deepen their understanding of classroom practices, current curricula, pedagogy, and K-14 educational environments.

RET Sites are based on independent proposals, submitted for an annual deadline date to provide authentic summer research experiences for K-14 STEM educators and foster long-term collaborations between universities, community colleges, school districts, and industry partners.

As part of the long-term partnership arrangements, involvement of undergraduate/graduate students with the integration of the RET curricular materials into classroom activities in the follow up academic year is particularly encouraged. RET Sites must involve 8-10 or more K-14 educators in an engineering and/or computer and/or information science research project for a duration of at least six weeks during the summer.

RET Sites must have a well-defined research focus, with clearly articulated projects and activities, that enables a cohort experience for participants. Sites may be based in a single discipline or academic department or may offer interdisciplinary or multi-department research opportunities with a coherent intellectual theme.

A proposal should reflect the unique combination of the proposing organization's interests and capabilities and those of any partnering organizations. RET Sites must include high-quality mentoring strategies to ensure participants receive consistent and effective support during their research experience.

Sites are encouraged to include Co-PIs or senior personnel who have expertise in education research and/or curriculum development and/or broadening participation. RET Sites are also encouraged to include partnerships with industry mentors, particularly those with a regional presence. Projects should include academic-year activities to facilitate dissemination of classroom modules to other K-14 educators and a broader audience.

An RET Supplement typically provides support for one or two K-14 STEM Educators to participate in research as part of a new or ongoing ENG or CISE-funded research project. However, centers or large research efforts may request support for a larger number of participants commensurate with the size and nature of the project.

As with RET Sites, high-quality mentoring is important in RET Supplements and investigators should give serious attention to developing participants’ research skills, involving them in the culture of research in the discipline, and connecting their research experience with classroom activities and curricula.

RET Supplement descriptions must also indicate what type of sustained follow-up will be provided during the academic year to help in translating the teacher's research experience and new understanding of engineering and/or computer science concepts into classroom practice. [CISE PIs can find more information in the most recent Dear Colleague Letter on REU and RET supplements.]

ENG and CISE strongly encourage the use of RET supplements to enable K-14 STEM educators to participate in Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs. See https://www. nsf.

gov/funding/pgm_summ. jsp? pims_id=5517 for a list of current, active REU Sites.

The RET in Engineering and Computer Science program will allow PIs to involve participating K-14 educators in international research experiences in their proposals. PIs may contact NSF's Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE) staff, with expertise in the country or region of interest, for information about institutions and counterpart agencies.

(Contacts for cognizant program managers(s) are available from the OISE webpage ( https://www. nsf. gov/od/oise/country-list.

jsp ). NSF engages in a partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Electricity (OE) to expand research opportunities in DOE mission-relevant areas through the ENG RET Sites program. Proposals that are selected for the DOE funding will involve DOE mission-relevant topics and may come from any of the NSF directorates or offices that handle ENG RET Site proposals.

These topics include but are not limited to electric power sector research; clean energy technology research; risk science, decision science, social science, and data science using electric power sector data sets. A proposer to the NSF ENG RET Sites program does not need to take any additional steps to be considered for funding through DOE.

Proposals that are considered for co-funding by DOE will be shared with DOE staff to assess alignment with DOE’s research interests, and the unattributed reviews and panel summaries for those proposals will also be shared with DOE.

Anticipated Type of Award: Continuing Grant or Standard Grant Estimated Number of Awards: 9 Anticipated Funding Amount: $5,800,000 The total anticipated annual funding for both RET Sites and Supplements is approximately $5,800,000 per year, subject to the availability of funds. It is anticipated that approximately 9 Site awards will be made per year. The maximum total request for a Site is $600,000 for a duration of up to three years.

Supplements are limited to a maximum of $15,000 per teacher and/or community college faculty for a duration of one year, subject to the availability of funds. IV.

Eligibility Information Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) - Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members.

Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US institution of higher education (including through use of subawards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the US campus.

Minority-Serving Institutions, community colleges, and institutions with strong programs serving persons with disabilities, are encouraged to apply. RET Supplement to an existing award: Active ENG or CISE awardees. RET Supplemental funding request submitted as part of a proposal to ENG or CISE for a new or renewal grant or cooperative agreement: Eligibility requirements of the specific funding opportunity apply.

The principal investigator of a RET in Engineering and Computer Science Site proposal must have a full-time, tenured or tenure-track faculty appointment within a College/Department of Engineering or Engineering Technology or a College/Department of Computer and/or Information Science broadly defined [including e.g., Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Software Engineering, Networking Science, Informatics] within the submitting US IHE.

The PI must be a full-time Engineering and/or Computer Science faculty member whose primary job responsibilities are research and teaching and not a faculty member who is involved in an administrative capacity such as a dean or outreach coordinator. Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: There are no restrictions or limits.

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or co-PI: An individual may be listed as a PI or co-PI on no more than one RET site proposal per annual deadline. V. Proposal Preparation And Submission Instructions A.

Proposal Preparation Instructions Full Proposal Preparation Instructions : Proposers may opt to submit proposals in response to this Program Solicitation via Research. gov or Grants. gov. Full Proposals submitted via Research.

gov: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). The complete text of the PAPPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www. nsf.

gov/publications/pub_summ. jsp? ods_key=pappg .

Paper copies of the PAPPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-8134 or by e-mail from nsfpubs@nsf. gov . The Prepare New Proposal setup will prompt you for the program solicitation number.

Full proposals submitted via Grants. gov: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation via Grants. gov should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the NSF Grants.

gov Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Applications via Grants. gov . The complete text of the NSF Grants.

gov Application Guide is available on the Grants. gov website and on the NSF website at: ( https://www. nsf.

gov/publications/pub_summ. jsp? ods_key=grantsgovguide ).

To obtain copies of the Application Guide and Application Forms Package, click on the Apply tab on the Grants. gov site, then click on the Apply Step 1: Download a Grant Application Package and Application Instructions link and enter the funding opportunity number, (the program solicitation number without the NSF prefix) and press the Download Package button. Paper copies of the Grants.

gov Application Guide also may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-8134 or by e-mail from nsfpubs@nsf. gov . In determining which method to utilize in the electronic preparation and submission of the proposal, please note the following: Collaborative Proposals.

All collaborative proposals submitted as separate submissions from multiple organizations must be submitted via Research. gov. PAPPG Chapter II. E.

3 provides additional information on collaborative proposals. See PAPPG Chapter II. D.

2 for guidance on the required sections of a full research proposal submitted to NSF. Please note that the proposal preparation instructions provided in this program solicitation may deviate from the PAPPG instructions. The following instructions supplement those found in the PAPPG or NSF Grants.

gov Application Guide. Select "Prepare New Full Proposal" in Research. gov unless the proposal is requesting continued funding for a previously funded RET Site.

In that case, select the "Prepare New Renewal Proposal" option. Please note that, if the proposal is a continuation but has a different PI, Research. gov will not allow this selection.

The proposer should select "Prepare New Full Proposal" and the renewal information should be indicated in the Project Summary. The NSF organizational unit to which proposals should be directed is either ENG/EEC or CISE/CNS. In the title of the project, start with the label "RET Site:".

Senior Personnel. A single individual should be designated as the Principal Investigator (PI); this individual will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the award. Up to three additional people may be designated as Co-PIs if developing and operating the RET Site would involve such shared responsibility.

Other anticipated research supervisors or mentors should be designated as Other Senior Personnel. Project Summary . The Project Summary consists of an overview, a statement on the intellectual merit of the proposed activity, and a statement on the broader impacts of the proposed activity.

The "Overview" section of the Project Summary must include the following list of "Project Elements": New RET Site, or Renewal of previously funded RET Site (provide previous NSF Award Number; see Note below) Site submitted for ENG or CISE consideration Project title (as shown on Cover Sheet): "RET Site: ..."

Location(s) (universities, national labs, field stations, etc.) at which the proposed research will occur Main field(s) and sub-field(s) of the research School districts and other institutions involved in the project Grade levels taught by intended participants (e.g., K-5, 8-12, high school, 2-year college, pre-service) No. of RET participants per year No. of weeks per year that the K-14 educators will participate International or REU component, if applicable URL for RET Site, if renewal In the remainder of the Project Summary, briefly describe the project's objectives, activities, educators to be recruited, and intended impact.

Provide separate statements on the intellectual merit and broader impacts of the proposed activity, as required by the PAPPG. * Note: For renewals with a new PI, the relevant "Project Element" in the Project Summary (above) should indicate that the proposal is a "renewal," and the outcomes of the previous Site should be described in the "Results from Prior NSF Support" section of the Project Description.

In addition, at the end of the Overview Box, please provide a list of keywords or phrases following the text "Keywords:" that identify the areas of technical expertise and education-related activities that are involved in the proposed project(s). Project Description. Address items "a" through "l" below as subsections in the Project Description narrative.

The Project Description must not exceed 15 pages and must contain a separate section labeled "Broader Impacts" within the narrative. Overview . Provide a brief description of the goals and objectives of the proposed RET Site, targeted educator participants, intellectual research focus, broader impact of the proposed activity, organizational structure, timetable, and institutional commitment to the RET activity.

Nature of Participant Research Activities . A RET Site must have a well-defined research focus related to engineering and/or computer science which helps unify the site and build a cohort experience. Proposals must provide detailed descriptions of example research projects that connect to the site research focus.

Each project described must have a section labeled "Participant Component" that highlights the participant’s contribution to the project. Participant contributions must be a part of authentic research with clear research objectives and questions. There should be minimal expectations for involvement or study by the participants on the research topic prior to the beginning of the on-site experience.

Sites cannot involve registration in courses either online or on-site. Site logistics . Proposals should have a timeline of participant activities during the duration of the summer experience and the academic year follow-up.

In cases where limited availability of specialized facilities, such as clean rooms, electron microscopes, etc., make it possible to offer an extraordinary experience in less than the minimum six-week duration, a shorter research component may be proposed with appropriate justification. RET Site Team Experience and Training .

Proposals must describe the experience of the principal investigator and the research mentors (including faculty, graduate students, industry mentors and/or master teachers). This should include information on the record of faculty/mentors in publishing research results and providing professional development opportunities for K-14 educators.

It must clearly discuss any prior engagement with the PI and participating faculty with K-14 educators and demonstrate their capacity to lead an entire site of RET participants. It should also describe the institution and any related involvement by industry in the RET project. Proposals must include plans that will ensure sufficient RET participant-faculty interaction and communication.

The RET participants must work closely in teams with university faculty and their students, and industry mentors, when applicable. Mentor training for graduate students and faculty mentors must be included to ensure participants receive consistent and effective support during their research experience.

Sites should be inclusive to all RET participants, and PIs should indicate any diversity and inclusion training they have taken or intend to undertake in preparation for hosting a Site. Sites are also expected to adhere to NSF's Policy on Sexual Harassment, Other Forms of Harassment, or Sexual Assault (See section e. for more details).

NSF Policy on Sexual Harassment, Other Forms of Harassment, or Sexual Assault . NSF does not tolerate sexual harassment, or any kind of harassment, where NSF-funded activities take place. Proposers are required to have a policy or code of conduct that addresses sexual harassment, other forms of harassment, and sexual assault.

Proposers should provide an orientation for all participants in the RET Site (K-14 educator participants, university faculty, postdocs, graduate students, other research mentors, etc.) to cover expectations of behavior to ensure a safe and respectful environment for all participants, and to review the organization's policy or code of conduct addressing sexual harassment, other forms of harassment, and sexual assault, including reporting and complaint procedures.

For additional information, see the NSF policies at https://new. nsf. gov/stopping-harassment .

Participant Recruitment and Selection . Since a major goal of the RET Site program is to build a sustainable bond between school districts/community colleges and a college or university in the surrounding community, proposals should provide a recruitment plan with as much specificity as possible.

The types and/or names of schools, school districts, or 2-year colleges from which participants will be recruited and the rationale for this selection should be identified. RET Site participants must be currently teaching a STEM subject or interested in strengthening computer science and/or engineering at their institution.

It is encouraged, but not required, that at least two participants be recruited for the site from the same K-12 school/community college to strengthen support for teachers and the likelihood of impact when returning to their home institutions. Specific efforts to recruit participants from the full spectrum of diverse talent in engineering and computer science should be described.

Sites that plan to include a mixture of teachers at different grade levels or a combination of pre- and in-service teachers, need to carefully discuss how the group will be managed to be appropriate and relevant to all, and to allow for all the participants to be fully engaged. Participants should be able to commute to a given site easily each day and not need funds for housing and meals.

However, in-residence sites with a strong justification that the Site will maintain regional impact and for which residency is necessary to reach teachers, particularly teachers in under-served communities, will be considered. Virtual/hybrid sites will also be considered. Development of Curricular Modules.

During the summer of the RET Site, participants must develop modules and curricular materials to bring their research back into the classroom. This activity is an integral part of the summer Site activities and should be woven into the timeline. The modules should be directly related to the research and the intellectual focus of the RET Site.

At the same time, the modules must be firmly connected to the K-12 and/or community college curricula that the educators follow as well as state and/or national teaching standards. Proposals should also describe any educational experts (e.g., curriculum specialists, education researchers, master teachers) who will support this process.

RET Sites must disseminate curricular modules or other classroom activities developed through the site. It is encouraged for participants to submit to the Teach Engineering digital library ( http://teachengineering. org/ ) or other repositories that reach a national audience.

They may also be posted to the individual RET web site or portal to ensure free access to educators. Participant Professional Development. Proposals must describe plans for participant professional development relevant to the responsible and ethical conduct of research, laboratory methods and safety procedures as appropriate to the proposal.

Professional development plans could also include opportunities that deepen participants’ knowledge about current research areas, career paths, and/or related industry opportunities. RET participants should have multiple opportunities to present their research plans, progress, and results to audiences of other RET participants, university faculty and students, and any industry mentors who might be involved.

Academic Year Follow-up Plan. The proposal must provide a plan for realistic and sustained academic-year follow-up with RET Site participants to support translation of their research experience into classroom practice. Research faculty and/or graduate students should visit the classrooms of their K-14 educator participants.

Plans must be included for academic-year conferences or other outreach activities such that the RET participants can disseminate their curricular materials and modules as well as details of their RET participation to a broader audience of teachers/community college faculty in their own communities. Project Evaluation and Reporting.

Proposals should provide a detailed plan for formative and summative evaluation of the RET Site aimed at determining the impact of the experience on participants’ content knowledge, confidence, self-efficacy, etc. An external evaluator and a brief description of their qualifications must be identified (normally budgeted between $3,000 and $5,000 per year). The PI, Co-PI, and main project personnel cannot be the evaluator.

Additionally, it is encouraged to incorporate a structured means of identifying longer-term impacts of the RET site experience on participant careers and practice, as well as the impact on the relationship between the Site institution and partner school districts. Dissemination.

Proposals must include a strategy for reaching a broad audience with the findings of the project including, where appropriate, researchers in other fields, practitioners, policy makers, and public audiences. Dissemination plans should include strategies to share research projects, curriculum, and best practices about RET Sites.

RET participants should also be encouraged to participate in future scientific meetings related to their research to share their projects and strengthen their disciplinary knowledge. RET Site Renewal proposals: Results from Prior NSF Support.

If the proposal is requesting renewal of an existing RET Site or if the department or center (or similar organizational subunit) that will host the proposed Site has hosted another RET Site during the past five years, proposals must describe the earlier RET project(s) and outcomes(s) in sufficient detail to permit reviewers to reach an informed conclusion regarding the value of the results achieved.

Valuable information typically includes results from the project evaluation, summary information on recruiting efforts and number of applicants, demographic composition of participants and their home institutions, follow-up and dissemination activities, lessons learned, modifications and changes to the proposed Site, and a list of publications or reports (if to be submitted for publication) resulting from the original NSF award.

In addition to the required documents outlined in the PAPPG, proposals must also include the following: Biographical Sketches. The basic guidelines as outlined in the PAPPG for biographical material apply; however, senior personnel are encouraged to include appointments, synergistic activities, or products relevant to a successful RET Site.

Senior personnel are the principal investigator; the co-principal investigator if one has been designated; the external evaluator; and other faculty/professionals who are anticipated to serve as research mentors. The number of biographical sketches is limited to 12. Letters of