During the Summer of 2009, seven high school teachers from the Southern Virginia region will have the opportunity to participate in paid summer research activities at IALR and Luna Innovations in Danville.   During the six-week program, participating teachers will gain authentic knowledge and skills in engineering, research, and development and will:

• earn a $5000 stipend
• receive instruction from faculty at the University of Maryland and the University of Virginia
• experience cutting edge technology tools used to bring together geographically distributed research teams
• engage (via distance technology) with teachers in Maryland
• learn about engineering, innovation, entrepreneurship, and engineering ethics
• prepare to take learning experience back to the classroom in the form of a follow-on research-based activity

The intent of Research DIIET is for teachers to partner with scientists, inventors, engineers and educators to develop and test experiential exercises that reinforce the abstract notion of innovation.  Teachers will engage in a sequence of activities including: an actual research and design experience; experiential workshops on the research and design processes, the use of an electronic portfolio, ethics and curriculum development aligned to local standards; seminars and workshops on invention, university and pre-college partnerships, and laboratory safety; a grade 7 to 12 action project; and formative and longitudinal assessments. Teachers will be required to attend two mandatory sessions: one at UVA on June 29th and at the University of Maryland on August 7th.

For complete information about the 2009 Summer Research Experience for Teachers (RET) Program, click here to view the program brochure.  Click here to access the RET application (application deadline May 8, 2009). Return completed application by fax to 434-791-3279 or by e-mail to:

Julie Brown, Director of Academic and Outreach Programs
Institute for Advanced Learning and Research
150 Slayton Avenue
Danville, VA 24540
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
(434) 766-6711

During the summer of 2008, these five area teachers participated in the six-week RET Program offered in partnership among the IALR, the University of Virginia, and the University of Maryland.  Three teachers were placed with research faculty at IALR and two were placed at Luna Nanoworks. Teachers from Dan River High, Gretna High, Galileo Magnet School, and the Piedmont Governor’s School for Math, Science and Technology participated in this paid research experience funded through the National Science Foundation. The teachers from Maryland who participated are not shown here.

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites