The Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Program is a seven-week summer program for middle and high school STEM teachers. RETs conduct research with a host laboratory for the first six weeks of the program and prepare for the summer research symposium during the seventh week. For Summer 2025, the RET programs will be offered in-person only at Penn State Harrisburg in Middletown, PA. Teachers selected for the program will participate in ongoing research projects with university science or engineering faculty and work with CSATS science education faculty to develop a classroom research project based on their research experience.

The DC STEM Fair is the longest-running student competition in the District of Columbia. The Elementary DC STEM Exhibition is open to students in grades K-5 from DC public, public charter, parochial, private, and home schools. Both the Elementary Exhibition and Secondary Fair will be held at Paul Lawrence Dunbar Senior High School on April 5, 2025, bringing together students from all eight wards to showcase their ideas and innovations and is a fun experience for the entire family. To secure your spot, please complete the registration form by March 31st.

Unite is a four-to-six week, pre-collegiate summer experience for talented high school students in STEM. Held at higher education institutions across the country, Unite encourages students to pursue college majors and careers in engineering and other STEM-related fields through a program of focused hands-on rigorous academics, enrichment and career exploration.

It’s National Paper Airplane Day! Celebrate by learning the basics of flight from the US Air Force. Learn about the forces that allow your airplane to fly with maximum performance. Whose airplane can fly fastest and furthest? Each student should have a sheet (or two!) of paper as we will be folding paper airplanes during the session.