42 USC 18993 - Graduate STEM education

Collapse to view only § 18993. Graduate STEM education

§ 18991. PreK–12 STEM education
§ 18992. Undergraduate STEM education
§ 18993. Graduate STEM education
§ 18994. STEM workforce data
§ 18995. Cyber workforce development research and development
§ 18996. Cybersecurity workforce data initiative
§ 18997. Microelectronics workforce development activities
§ 18998. Mandatory cost-sharing
§ 18999. Programs to address the STEM workforce

§ 18991. PreK–12 STEM education

(a) National Academies studyNot later than 120 days after August 9, 2022, the Director shall enter into an agreement with the National Academies to conduct a study to—

(1) review the research literature and identify research gaps regarding the interconnected factors that foster and hinder successful implementation of promising, evidence-based PreK–12 STEM education innovations at the local, regional, and national level;

(2) present a compendium of promising, evidence-based PreK–12 STEM education practices, models, programs, and technologies;

(3) identify barriers to widespread and sustained implementation of such innovations; and

(4) make recommendations to the Foundation, the Department of Education, the National Science and Technology Council’s Committee on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education, State and local educational agencies, and other relevant stakeholders on measures to address such barriers.

(b) Omitted

1 So in original.

National STEM Teacher Corps pilot

(1) Purpose

(2) DefinitionsIn this subsection:

(A) Administrator

(B) Eligible entityThe term “eligible entity” means—

(i) an institution of higher education; or

(ii) a consortium consisting of an institution of higher education and one or more of the following:(I) A State educational agency (as defined in section 7801 of title 20).(II) A local educational agency (as defined in section 7801 of title 20).(III) An education nonprofit Association.(IV) A cross sector 5

5 So in original. Probably should be “cross-sector”.

STEM organization.(V) A private entity, including a STEM-related business.

(D) Professional development

(E) Corps Alliance

(F) National STEM Teacher Corps Advisory Board

(3) Establishment of National STEM Teacher Corps

(4) Duties of the AdministratorThe Administrator shall—

(A) create a process and standards for selection of eligible applicants to become members of the National STEM Teacher Corps, including—

(i) uniform selection criteria that includes 7

7 So in original. Probably should be “include”.

—(I) deep knowledge of STEM span and pedagogy;(II) a passion for STEM subjects and dedication to teaching, evidence of leadership skills, and potential for continued career growth as an educator; and(III) demonstrated experience increasing STEM student achievement and STEM participation rates for all students, particularly those from rural and high-need schools; and

(ii) a uniform selection process, including a comprehensive application that includes recommendations and other relevant professional information;

(B) promote the National STEM Teacher Corps and elevate best practices that emerge from the National STEM Teacher Corps to a national audience;

(D) evaluate the overall and long-term impact of the National STEM Teacher Corps by—

(i) documenting, monitoring, and assessing the program outcomes or impact on the STEM careers of participants; and

(ii) documenting, monitoring, and assessing the program outcomes for the STEM education profession nationwide, particularly for rural and high-need schools.

(5) National STEM Teacher Corps Advisory Board

(A) Establishment

(B) Composition

(i) In generalThe membership of the National STEM Teacher Corps Advisory Board shall—(I) be appointed by the Director;(II) include a representative from each of the following: School leaders, STEM researchers, STEM education researchers, Business leaders, PreK–12 STEM educators, and Students pursuing a postsecondary STEM degree; and(III) be geographically diverse.

(ii) Existing committee

(6) Duties of the Corps alliancesSubject to the availability of appropriated funds, the Administrator may make awards on a competitive, merit-review basis, to establish Corps alliances at eligible entities. Activities carried out by such alliances shall include—

(A) engaging local partners, which may include local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, STEM organizations, or education nonprofit organizations, to—

(i) develop and serve the community of National STEM Teacher Corps members within the region or topic area, in coordination with local partners to carry out day-to-day activities;

(ii) coordinate professional development activities, including activities led by National STEM Teacher Corps members;

(iii) connect National STEM Teacher Corps members with existing educator professional development programs and coordinate members’ involvement as cooperating teachers or mentors;

(iv) seek opportunities to involve teachers who are not members of the National STEM Teacher Corps to participate in National STEM Teacher Corps activities; and

(v) build partnerships with existing education organizations and other efforts by State educational agencies and local educational agencies that operate programs relevant to the National STEM Teacher Corps and its activities;

(B) recruiting eligible applicants, with a focus on recruiting diverse STEM educators to advance equity based on race, ethnicity, sex, socioeconomic status, age, disability status, geography, and language ability;

(C) screening, interviewing, and selecting members of the National STEM Teacher Corps using procedures and standards provided by the Administrator;

(D) coordinating the online network that supports all National STEM Teacher Corps members in the region or topic area;

(E) convening occasional meetings of National STEM Teacher Corps members in a region or topic area;

(F) creating opportunities for the professional growth of National STEM Teacher Corps members, with a focus on increasing STEM student achievement and STEM participation rates for all students, particularly those from rural and high-need schools; and

(G) supporting the retention and success of National STEM Teacher Corps members in the region or topic area.

(7) Duties of members of the National STEM Teacher CorpsAn applicant that is selected by a Corps alliance to be a member of the National STEM Teacher Corps shall—

(A) serve a 4-year term with a possibility of reappointment;

(B) receive an annual stipend in an amount not less than $10,000; and

(i) working with other members of the National STEM Teacher Corps to develop and improve innovative teaching practices, including practices such as inquiry-based learning;

(ii) participating in professional development in innovative teaching methodology and mentorship; and

(iii) continuing to excel in teaching the member’s own students, with a focus on advancing equity by spending additional time teaching and coaching underserved students to increase STEM student achievement and STEM participation rates for students from rural and high-need schools.

(8) EvaluationThe Director, acting through the Administrator, shall submit a report to Congress after the third year of the pilot program that includes—

(A) an assessment, drawing on the evaluations the Administrator shall conduct under subparagraphs (C) and (D) of paragraph (4), and other sources of information, of the effectiveness of the pilot program in recruiting and retaining high-quality STEM teachers in the selected regions or topic areas, particularly in high-need and rural schools; and

(B) if deemed effective, a proposal to Congress for permanent implementation of the pilot program.

(9) Sunset

(10) Authorization of appropriations

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title III, § 10311, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1510.)

§ 18992. Undergraduate STEM education

(a) Research on STEM education and workforce needs

The Director shall make awards, on a competitive basis, to four-year institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations (or consortia of such institutions or organizations) to support research and development activities to—

(1) encourage greater collaboration and coordination between institutions of higher education and industry to enhance education, foster hands-on learn experiences, and improve alignment with workforce needs;

(2) understand the current composition of the STEM workforce and the factors that influence growth, retention, and development of that workforce;

(3) increase the size, diversity, capability, and flexibility of the STEM workforce; and

(4) increase dissemination and widespread adoption of effective practices in undergraduate education and workforce development.

(b) Omitted

(1) In general

The Director shall make awards on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations (or consortia of such institutions or organizations) to advance research on the nature of learning and teaching at community colleges and to improve outcomes for students who enter the workforce upon completion of their STEM degree or credential or transfer to 4-year institutions, including by—

(A) examining how to scale up successful programs at community colleges that are improving student outcomes in foundational STEM courses;

(B) supporting research on effective STEM teaching practices in community college settings;

(D) providing STEM students with hands-on training and research experiences, internships, and other experiential learning opportunities;

(E) increasing access to high quality STEM education through new technologies;

(F) re-skilling or up-skilling incumbent workers for new STEM jobs;

(G) building STEM career and seamless transfer pathways; and

(H) developing novel mechanisms to identify and recruit talent into STEM programs, in particular talent from groups historically underrepresented in STEM.

(2) Partnerships

(d) Improving access to STEM education at career and technical education institutions

(1) In general

(2) Priority

(3) Career and technical education defined

(e) Course-based undergraduate research experiences

(1) In general

(2) Use of funds

Awards made under this paragraph shall be used to—

(A) develop, assess, and disseminate models for providing undergraduate students with course-based research experiences across STEM disciplines and education levels;

(B) identify and address opportunities and challenges in facilitating implementation across a broad range of institution types, including historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal Colleges or Universities, minority serving institutions and community colleges;

(C) identify and develop best practices to address barriers for faculty, including institutional culture, resources, and incentive structures;

(D) identify and address factors that may facilitate or discourage participation by students from all backgrounds;

(E) provide faculty with curriculum, professional development, training, networking opportunities, and other support to enable the development, adaptation, or expansion of a course-based research experience; and

(F) collect data and carry out research to evaluate the impacts of course-based undergraduate research experiences on the STEM workforce.

(3) Partnerships

(4) Report

Not later than 180 days after the date on which the pilot program is completed, the Director shall submit to Congress a report that includes—

(A) an assessment, that includes feedback from the research community, of the effectiveness of the pilot program in increasing the number, diversity, and workforce readiness of STEM graduates; and

(B) if determined to be effective, a plan for permanent implementation of the pilot program.

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title III, § 10312, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1516.)

§ 18993. Graduate STEM education

(a) Mentoring and professional development

(1) Mentoring plans

(A) Omitted

(B) Evaluation

(2) Career exploration

(A) In general

(B) Review of proposalsIn selecting award recipients under this subparagraph, the Director shall consider, at a minimum—

(i) the extent to which the administrators of the institution are committed to making the proposed activity a priority; and

(ii) the likelihood that the institution or organization will sustain or expand the proposed activity effort beyond the period of the award.

(3) Development plans

(4) Professional development supplement

(5) Graduate education researchThe Director shall make awards, on a competitive basis, to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations (or consortia of such institutions or organizations) to support research on the graduate education system and outcomes of various interventions and policies, including—

(A) the effects of traineeships, fellowships, internships, and teaching and research assistantships on outcomes for graduate students;

(B) the effects of graduate education and mentoring policies and procedures on degree completion, including differences by—

(i) sex, race and ethnicity, and citizenship; and

(ii) student debt load;

(C) the development and assessment of new or adapted interventions, including approaches that improve mentoring relationships, develop conflict management skills, and promote healthy research teams; and

(D) research, data collection, and assessment of the state of graduate student mental health and wellbeing, factors contributing to and consequences of poor graduate student mental health, and the development, adaptation, and assessment of evidence-based strategies and policies to support emotional wellbeing and mental health.

(b) Graduate Research Fellowship Program update

(1) Sense of Congress

(2) Omitted

(3) Cybersecurity scholarships and graduate fellowships

(1) In generalNot later than 120 days after August 9, 2022, the Director shall enter into an agreement with a qualified independent organization to evaluate—

(A) the role of the Foundation in supporting graduate student education and training through fellowships, traineeships, and other funding models; and

(B) the impact of different funding mechanisms on graduate student experiences and outcomes, including whether such mechanisms have differential impacts on subsets of the student population.

(2) Report

(d) [LOG 165 H10304(g)/S2208] 1 AI scholarship-for-service

(1) Definition of executive agency

(2) AI scholarship-for-service initiative reportNot later than 1 year after August 9, 2022, the Director, in coordination with the Office of Personnel Management, shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, and the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of Representatives a report on the need and feasibility, and if appropriate, plans to implement a program to recruit and train the next generation of artificial intelligence professionals to meet the needs of Federal, State, local, and Tribal governments. The report shall include—

(A) recent statistical data on the size, composition, and educational requirements of the Federal AI workforce, including an assessment of current and future demand for additional AI professionals across the Federal Government;

(B) an assessment of the capacity of institutions of higher education to produce graduates with degrees, certifications, and relevant skills related to artificial intelligence that meet the current and future needs of the Federal workforce; and

(C) an evaluation of the need for and feasibility of establishing a scholarship-for-service program to recruit and train the next generation of artificial intelligence professionals to meet the needs of Federal, State, local, and Tribal governments, including opportunities for leveraging existing processes and resources for administering the Federal Cyber Scholarship-for-Service Program established under section 7442 of title 15 in standing up such a program.

(3) Program establishment

(4) Qualified institution of higher educationThe Director, in coordination with the heads of other agencies with appropriate scientific knowledge, shall establish criteria to designate qualified institutions of higher education that shall be eligible to participate in the Federal AI Scholarship-for-Service program. Such criteria shall include—

(A) measures of the institution’s demonstrated excellence in the education of students in the field of artificial intelligence; and

(B) measures of the institution’s ability to attract and retain a diverse and nontraditional student population in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, which may include the ability to attract women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities.

(5) Program description and componentsThe Federal AI Scholarship-for-Service Program shall—

(A) provide scholarships through qualified institutions of higher education to students who are enrolled in programs of study at institutions of higher education leading to degrees or concentrations in or related to the artificial intelligence field;

(B) provide the scholarship recipients with summer internship opportunities or other meaningful temporary appointments in the Federal workforce focusing on AI projects or research;

(D) identify opportunities to promote multi-disciplinary programs of study that integrate basic or advanced AI training with other fields of study, including those that address the social, economic, legal, and ethical implications of human interaction with AI systems;

(E) support capacity-building education research programs that will enable postsecondary educational institutions to expand their ability to train the next-generation AI workforce, including AI researchers and practitioners;

(F) create courses or training programs in technology ethics for students receiving scholarships; and

(G) award fellowships to masters and doctoral students who are pursuing degrees or research in artificial intelligence and related fields, including in the field of technology ethics.

(6) Scholarship amounts

(7) Post-award employment obligationsEach scholarship recipient, as a condition of receiving a scholarship under the program, shall enter into an agreement under which the recipient agrees to work for a period equal to the length of the scholarship, following receipt of the student’s degree, in the AI mission of—

(A) an executive agency;

(B) Congress, including any agency, entity, office, or commission established in the legislative branch;

(D) a State, local, or Tribal government, which may include instruction in AI-related skill sets in a public school system; or

(E) a State, local, or Tribal government-affiliated nonprofit entity that is considered to be critical infrastructure (as defined in section 5195c(e) of this title).

(8) Hiring authority

(A) Appointment in excepted service

(B) Noncompetitive conversion

(D) Authority to decline conversion

(9) EligibilityTo be eligible to receive a scholarship under this section, an individual shall—

(A) be a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States;

(B) demonstrate a commitment to a career in advancing the field of AI;

(i) a full-time student in an eligible degree program at a qualified institution of higher education, as determined by the Director;

(ii) a student pursuing a degree on a less than full-time basis, but not less than half-time basis; or

(iii) an AI faculty member on sabbatical to advance knowledge in the field; and

(D) accept the terms of a scholarship under this section.

(10) Conditions of support

(A) In general

(B) TermsA scholarship recipient under this section shall be liable to the United States as provided in paragraph (12) if the individual—

(i) fails to maintain an acceptable level of academic standing at the applicable institution of higher education, as determined by the Director;

(ii) is dismissed from the applicable institution of higher education for disciplinary reasons;

(iii) withdraws from the eligible degree program before completing the program;

(iv) declares that the individual does not intend to fulfill the post-award employment obligation under this section; or

(v) fails to fulfill the post-award employment obligation of the individual under this section.

(11) Monitoring complianceAs a condition of participating in the program, a qualified institution of higher education shall—

(A) enter into an agreement with the Director to monitor the compliance of scholarship recipients with respect to their post-award employment obligations; and

(B) provide to the Director, on an annual basis, the post-award employment documentation required under paragraph (10) for scholarship recipients through the completion of their post-award employment obligations.

(12) Amount of repayment

(A) Less than 1 year of serviceIf a circumstance described in paragraph (10) occurs before the completion of 1 year of a post-award employment obligation under this section, the total amount of scholarship awards received by the individual under this section shall—

(i) be repaid; or

(ii) be treated as a loan to be repaid in accordance with paragraph (13).

(B) 1 or more years of serviceIf a circumstance described in clause (iv) or (v) of paragraph (10)(B) occurs after the completion of 1 or more years of a post-award employment obligation under this section, the total amount of scholarship awards received by the individual under this section, reduced by the ratio of the number of years of service completed divided by the number of years of service required, shall—

(i) be repaid; or

(ii) be treated as a loan to be repaid in accordance with paragraph (13).

(13) RepaymentsA loan described in paragraph (12) shall—

(A) be treated as a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan under part D of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087a et seq.); and

(B) be subject to repayment, together with interest thereon accruing from the date of the scholarship award, in accordance with terms and conditions specified by the Director (in consultation with the Secretary of Education).

(14) Collection of repayment

(A) In generalIn the event that a scholarship recipient is required to repay the scholarship award under this section, the qualified institution of higher education providing the scholarship shall—

(i) determine the repayment amounts and notify the recipient and the Director of the amounts owed; and

(ii) collect the repayment amounts within a period of time as determined by the Director, or the repayment amounts shall be treated as a loan in accordance with paragraph (13).

(B) Returned to Treasury

(15) Exceptions

(16) Public information

(A) EvaluationThe Director, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, shall annually evaluate and make public, in a manner that protects the personally identifiable information of scholarship recipients, information on the success of recruiting individuals for scholarships under this section and on hiring and retaining those individuals in the public sector AI workforce, including information on—

(i) placement rates;

(ii) where students are placed, including job titles and descriptions;

(iii) salary ranges for students not released from obligations under this section;

(iv) how long after graduation students are placed;

(v) how long students stay in the positions they enter upon graduation;

(vi) how many students are released from obligations; and

(vii) what, if any, remedial training is required.

(B) Reports

(C) ResourcesThe Director, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, shall provide consolidated and user-friendly online resources for prospective scholarship recipients, including, to the extent practicable—

(i) searchable, up-to-date, and accurate information about participating institutions of higher education and job opportunities related to the AI field; and

(ii) a modernized description of AI careers.

(17) Refresh

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title III, § 10313, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1522.)

§ 18994. STEM workforce data

(a) Skilled technical workforce portfolio review

(1) In general

(2) Report

(b) Survey data

(1) Rotating topic modules

(2) New data

Not later than 1 year after August 9, 2022

(A) the skilled technical workforce;

(B) working conditions and work-life balance;

(D) immigration and emigration; and

(E) any other topics at the discretion of the Director.

(3) Longitudinal design

(4) Government Accountability Office review

Not later than 1 year after August 9, 2022, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit a report to Congress that—

(A) evaluates Foundation processes for ensuring the data and analysis produced by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics meets current and future needs; and

(B) includes such recommendations as the Comptroller General determines are appropriate to improve such processes.

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title III, § 10314, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1529.)

§ 18995. Cyber workforce development research and development

(a) In general

(b) Research

In carrying out research pursuant to subsection (a), the Director shall support research and development activities to—

(1) understand the current state of the cyber workforce, including factors that influence growth, retention, and development of that workforce;

(2) examine paths to entry and re-entry into the cyber workforce;

(3) understand trends of the cyber workforce, including demographic representation, educational and professional backgrounds present, competencies available, and factors that shape employee recruitment, development, and retention and how to increase the size, diversity, and capability of the cyber workforce;

(4) examine and evaluate training practices, models, programs, and technologies; and

(5) other closely related topics as the Director determines appropriate.

In carrying out the activities described in subsection (b), the Director shall—

(1) collaborate with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, including the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, the Office of Personnel Management, and other Federal departments and agencies, as appropriate;

(2) align with or build on the National Initiative on Cybersecurity Education Cybersecurity Workforce Framework wherever practicable and applicable;

(3) leverage the collective body of knowledge from existing cyber workforce development research and education activities; and

(4) engage with other Federal departments and agencies, research communities, and potential users of information produced under this subsection.

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title III, § 10315, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1530.)

§ 18996. Cybersecurity workforce data initiative

The Director, acting through the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics established in section 1862p of this title and in coordination with the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology and other appropriate Federal statistical agencies, shall establish a cybersecurity workforce data initiative that—

(1) assesses the feasibility of providing nationally representative estimates and statistical information on the cybersecurity workforce;

(2) utilizes the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce Framework (NIST Special Publication 800–181), or other frameworks, as appropriate, to enable a consistent measurement of the cybersecurity workforce;

(3) utilizes and complements existing data on employer requirements and unfilled positions in the cybersecurity workforce;

(4) consults key stakeholders and the broader community of practice in cybersecurity workforce development to determine data requirements needed to strengthen the cybersecurity workforce;

(5) evaluates existing Federal survey data for information pertinent to developing national estimates of the cybersecurity workforce;

(6) evaluates administrative data and other supplementary data sources, as available, to describe and measure the cybersecurity workforce; and

(7) collects statistical data, to the greatest extent practicable, on credential attainment and employment outcomes information for the cybersecurity workforce.

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title III, § 10317, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1531.)

§ 18997. Microelectronics workforce development activities

(a) Creating helpful initiatives to produce personnel in needed growth industries

(1) In general

(2) Purposes

(3) Uses of funds

Awards made under this section shall be used to support activities, such as—

(A) development of industry-oriented curricula and teaching modules for topics relevant to microelectronics, including those that provide meaningful hands-on learning experiences;

(B) dissemination of materials developed in subparagraph (A), including through the creation and maintenance of a publicly-accessible database and online portal;

(C) development and implementation of training, research, and professional development programs for teachers, including innovative pre-service and in-service programs, in microelectronics and related fields;

(D) support for learning activities and experiences that provide physical, simulated, or remote access to training facilities and industry-standard processes and tools, including equipment and software for the design, development, manufacturing, and testing of microelectronics;

(E) increasing the integration of microelectronics span into STEM curricula at all education levels;

(F) Growing 1

1 So in original. Probably should not be capitalized.

academic research capacity in microelectronics by incentivizing the hiring of faculty in fields critical to microelectronics;

(G) support for innovative industry pathway programs that connect high school, vocational, military, college, and graduate programs; and

(H) providing informal hands-on microelectronics learning opportunities for PreK-12 students in different learning environments, including competitions.

(4) Advanced microelectronics traineeships

(A) In general

(B) Use of funds

Institutions of higher education or non-profit organizations (or consortia of such institutions and organizations) shall use award funds provided under subparagraph (A) for the purposes of—

(i) paying tuition and fees, and providing stipends, for students receiving traineeships who are citizens, nationals, or aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence;

(ii) facilitating opportunities for scientific internship programs for students receiving traineeships in microelectronics at private industry, nonprofit research institutions, or Federal laboratories; and

(iii) such other costs associated with the administration of the program.

(5) Microelectronics skilled technical workforce programs

(6) Microelectronics research experiences through existing programs

The Director shall seek to increase opportunities for microelectronics research for students and trainees at all levels by encouraging proposals in microelectronics through existing programs including—

(A) research experiences for undergraduates pursuant to section 1862p–6 of this title;

(B) postdoctoral fellowship programs established pursuant to section 1862p–11 of this title;

(D) informal STEM education programs established pursuant to section 1862q of this title;

(E) the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program established pursuant to section 1862n–1 of this title;

(F) major research instrumentation programs established pursuant to section 1862o–14 of this title; and

(G) low-income 2

2 So in original. Probably should be preceded by “the”.

scholarship program established pursuant to section 1869c of this title.

(7) Industry partnerships

(8) Interagency coordination

(b) National Network for Microelectronics Education

(1) In general

(2) Activities

Awards made under this subsection shall be used for the following:

(A) To conduct training and education activities funded by awards under paragraph (1) and in coordination with the Network Coordination Hub established in paragraph (3), including curricula design, development, dissemination, and assessment, and the sharing of information and best practices across the network of awardees.

(B) To develop regional partnerships among associate-degree-granting colleges, bachelor-degree-granting institutions, workforce development programs, labor organizations, and industry to create a diverse national technical workforce trained in microelectronics and ensure education and training is meeting the evolving needs of industry.

(C) To develop local workforce pipelines that align with capacity investments made by industry and the Federal government, including vocational and high school training programs, community college degrees and certificates, veteran post service opportunities, and mentoring.

(D) To facilitate partnerships with employers, employer consortia or other private sector organizations that offer apprenticeships, internships, or applied learning experiences in the field of microelectronics.

(E) To develop shared infrastructure available to institutions of higher education, two-year colleges, and private organizations to enable experiential learning activities and provide physical or digital access to training facilities and industry-standard tools and processes.

(F) To create and disseminate public outreach to support awareness of microelectronics education and career opportunities, including through outreach to PreK–12 schools and STEM-related organizations.

(G) To collaborate and coordinate with industry and existing public and private organizations conducting microelectronics education and workforce development activities, as practicable.

(3) Network coordination hub

(4) Incentivizing participation

(5) Partnerships

(6) Outreach

(7) Coordination across foundation programs

(8) Interagency coordination

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title III, § 10318, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1532.)

§ 18998. Mandatory cost-sharing

(a) Waiver

(b) Assessment

Not later than 5 years following August 9, 2022, the Director shall submit to Congress an assessment, that includes feedback from the research community, of the impacts of the waivers provided under subsection (a), including—

(1) programmatic and scientific goals;

(2) institutional commitment and stewardship of Federal resources;

(3) institutional strategic planning and administrative burden;

(4) equity among recipient institutions; and

(5) recommendations for or against extending or making permanent such waivers.

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title III, § 10320, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1536.)

§ 18999. Programs to address the STEM workforce

(a) In general

(b) Postdoctoral professional developmentIn carrying out this section, the Director shall encourage innovation in postdoctoral professional development, support the development and diversity of the STEM workforce, and study the impacts of such innovation and support. To do so, the Director may use postdoctoral awards established under subsection (a) or leveraged under subsection (d)(1) for fellowships or other temporary rotational postings of not more than 2 years. Such fellowships or temporary rotational postings shall be awarded—

(1) to qualified individuals who have a doctoral degree and received such degree not earlier than 5 years before the date that the fellowship or temporary rotational posting begins; and

(2) to carry out research at Federal, State, local, and Tribal government research facilities.

(1) In general

(2) Fellowship or temporary rotational postingParagraph (1) applies with respect to a former recipient of an award under this subsection who—

(A) earned a doctoral degree in a STEM field from an institution of higher education; and

(B) successfully fulfilled the requirements of the fellowship or temporary rotational posting within a Federal agency.

(3) Limitation

(d) Existing programsIn carrying out this section, the Director may leverage existing programs, including programs that issue—

(1) postdoctoral awards;

(2) graduate fellowships and traineeships, inclusive of the NSF Research Traineeships and fellowships awarded under the Graduate Research Fellowship Program;

(3) scholarships, research experiences, and internships, including—

(A) scholarships to attend community colleges; and

(B) research experiences and internships under sections 1862p–5, 1862p–6, and 1862p–7 of this title; and

(4) awards to institutions of higher education to enable the institutions to fund innovation in undergraduate and graduate education, increased educational capacity, and the development and establishment of new or specialized programs of study for graduate, undergraduate, or technical college students, and the evaluation of the effectiveness of the programs of study.

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title III, § 10321, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1537.)