,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #begi ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #bf1 #bjai,ms4 ,hirono 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,ms4 ,cantwell1 ,ms4 ,cortez ,masto1 ,ms4 ,duckworth1 ,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mr4 ,markey1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 and ,ms4 ,rosen7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to direct the ,director of the ,office of ,science and ,technology ,policy to carry out programs and activities to ensure that ,federal science agencies and institutions of higher education receiving ,federal research and development funding are fully engaging their entire talent pool1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents2 findings 7a7 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,,stem ,opportunities ,act of #bjai4 7b7 ,table of contents ,the table of contents for this ,act is as follows3 ,sec4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents2 findings4,sec4 #b4 ,purposes4,sec4 #c4 ,federal science agency policies for caregivers4,sec4 #d4 ,collection and reporting of data on ,federal research grants4,sec4 #e4 ,policies for review of ,federal research grants4,sec4 #f4 ,collection of data on demographics of faculty4,sec4 #g4 ,cultural and institutional barriers to expanding the academic and ,federal ,,stem workforce4,sec4 #h4 ,research and dissemination at the ,national ,science ,foundation4,sec4 #i4 ,research and related activities to expand ,,stem opportunities4,sec4 #aj4 ,tribal ,colleges and ,universities ,program4,sec4 #aa4 ,report to ,congress4,sec4 #ab4 ,merit review4,sec4 #ac4 ,definitions4 7c7 ,findings ,the ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,many reports over the past decade have found that it is critical to our ,nation's economic leadership and global competitiveness that the ,united ,states educates and trains more scientists and engineers4 7#b7 ,research shows that women and minorities who are interested in ,,stem careers are disproportionately lost at nearly every educational transition and at every career milestone4 7#c7 ,the ,national ,center for ,science and ,engineering ,statistics at the ,national ,science ,foundation collects1 compiles1 analyzes1 and publishes data on the demographics of ,,stem degrees and ,,stem jobs in the ,united ,states4 7#d7 ,women now earn nearly #cg percent of all ,,stem bachelor's degrees1 but major variations persist among fields4 ,in #bjag1 women earned only #bj percent of all bachelor's degrees awarded in engineering and #ai percent of bachelor's degrees awarded in computer sciences4 ,based on ,bureau of ,labor ,statistics data1 jobs in computing occupations are expected to account for nearly #fj percent of the projected annual growth of newly created ,,stem job openings from #bjaf to #bjbf4 7#e7 ,in #bjag1 underrepresented minority groups comprised #ci percent of the college-age population of the ,united ,states1 but only #ah percent of students who earned bachelor's degrees in ,,stem fields4 ,the ,higher ,education ,research ,institute at the ,university of ,california1 ,los ,angeles1 found that1 while freshmen from underrepresented minority groups express an interest in pursuing a ,,stem undergraduate degree at the same rate as all other freshmen1 only #bb4a percent of ,latino students1 #ah4d percent of ,african-,american students1 and #ah4h percent of ,native ,american students studying in ,,stem fields complete their degree within #e years1 compared to approximately #cc percent of ,white students and #db percent of ,asian students who complete their degree within #e years4 7#f7 ,in some ,,stem fields1 including the computer sciences1 women persist at about the same rate through doctorate degrees4 ,in other ,,stem fields1 women persist through doctorate degrees at a lower rate4 ,in mathematics1 women earn just #bf percent of doctorate degrees compared with #db percent of undergraduate degrees4 ,overall1 women earned #ch percent of ,,stem doctorate degrees in #bjaf4 ,the rate of minority students earning ,,stem doctorate degrees in physics is #i percent1 compared with #ae percent for bachelor's degree4 ,students from underrepresented minority groups accounted for only #aa4e percent of ,,stem doctorate degrees awarded in #bjaf4 7#g7 ,the representation of women in ,,stem drops significantly from the doctorate degree level to the faculty level4 ,overall1 women hold only #bf percent of all tenured and tenure-track positions and #bg percent of full professor positions in ,,stem fields in our ,nation's universities and #d-year colleges4 ,black and ,hispanic faculty together hold about #f4h percent of all tenured and tenure-track positions and #g4e percent of full professor positions4 ,many of the numbers in the ,american ,indian or ,alaskan ,native and ,native ,hawaiian or ,other ,pacific ,islander categories for different faculty ranks were too small for the ,national ,science ,foundation to report publicly without potentially compromising confidential information about the individuals being surveyed4 7#h7 ,the representation of women is especially low at our ,nation's top research universities4 ,even in the biological sciences1 in which women now earn more than #ej percent of the doctorates and passed the #be percent level #cg years ago1 women make up only #be percent of the full professors at the approximately #ajj most research-intensive universities in the ,united ,states4 ,in the physical sciences and mathematics1 women make up only #aa percent of full professors1 in computer sciences only #aj percent1 and across engineering fields only #g percent4 ,the data suggest that approximately #f percent of all tenure-track ,,stem faculty members at the most research-intensive universities are from underrepresented minority groups1 but in some fields the numbers are too small to report publicly4 7#i7 ,by #bjej1 underrepresented minorities will comprise #eb percent of the college-age population of the ,united ,states4 ,if the percentage of female students and students from underrepresented minority groups earning bachelor's degrees in ,,stem fields does not significantly increase1 the ,united ,states will face an acute shortfall in the overall number of students who earn degrees in ,,stem fields just as ,united ,states companies are increasingly seeking students with those skills4 ,with this impending shortfall1 the ,united ,states will almost certainly lose its competitive edge in the #bast century global economy4 7#aj7 ,according to a #bjad ,association for ,women in ,science survey of over #d1jjj scientists across the globe1 #gj percent of whom were men1 ,,stem researchers face significant challenges in work-life integration4 ,researchers in the ,united ,states were among the most likely to experience a conflict between work and their personal life at least weekly4 ,one-third of researchers surveyed said that ensuring good work-life integration has negatively impacted their careers1 and1 of researchers intending to leave their current job within the next year1 #i percent indicated it was because they were unable to balance work and life demands4 7#aa7 ,female students and students from underrepresented minority groups at institutions of higher education who see few others like themselves among faculty and student populations often do not experience the social integration that is necessary for success in all disciplines1 including ,,stem4 7#ab7 ,one in five children in the ,united ,states attend school in a rural community4 ,the data shows that rural students are at a disadvantage with respect to ,,stem readiness4 ,among ,,stem-interested students1 #ag percent of students in rural high schools and #ah percent of students in town-located high schools meet the ,,act ,,stem ,benchmark1 compared with #cc percent of students in suburban high schools and #bg percent of students in urban high schools4 7#ac7 ,a substantial body of evidence establishes that most people hold implicit biases4 ,decades of cognitive psychology research reveal that most people carry prejudices of which they are unaware but that nonetheless play a large role in evaluations of people and their work4 ,unintentional biases and outmoded institutional structures are hindering the access and advancement of women1 minorities1 and other groups historically underrepresented in ,,stem4 7#ad7 ,workshops held to educate faculty about unintentional biases have demonstrated success in raising awareness of such biases4 7#ae7 ,in #bjab1 the ,office of ,diversity and ,equal ,opportunity of the ,national ,aeronautics and ,space ,administration 7in this ,act referred to as ,,nasa7 completed a report that-- 7,a7 is specifically designed to help ,,nasa grant recipients identify why the dearth of women in ,,stem fields continues and to ensure that it is not due to discrimination2 and 7,b7 provides guidance that is usable by all institutions of higher education receiving significant ,federal research funding on how to conduct meaningful self-evaluations of campus culture and policies4 7#af7 ,the ,federal ,government provides #ee percent of research funding at institutions of higher education and1 through its grant-making policies1 has had significant influence on institution of higher education policies1 including policies related to institutional culture and structure4 #b4 ,purposes ,the purposes of this ,act are as follows3 7#a7 ,to ensure that ,federal science agencies and institutions of higher education receiving ,federal research and development funding are fully engaging the entire talent pool of the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,to promote research on1 and increase understanding of1 the participation and trajectories of women1 minorities1 and other groups historically underrepresented in ,,stem studies and careers1 including persons with disabilities1 older learners1 veterans1 and rural1 poor1 and tribal populations1 at institutions of higher education and ,federal science agencies1 including ,federal laboratories4 7#c7 ,to raise awareness within ,federal science agencies1 including ,federal laboratories1 and institutions of higher education about cultural and institutional barriers limiting the recruitment1 retention1 promotion1 and other indicators of participation and achievement of women1 minorities1 and other groups historically underrepresented in academic and ,government ,,stem research careers at all levels4 7#d7 ,to identify1 disseminate1 and implement best practices at ,federal science agencies1 including ,federal laboratories1 and at institutions of higher education to remove or reduce cultural and institutional barriers limiting the recruitment1 retention1 and success of women1 minorities1 and other groups historically underrepresented in academic and ,government ,,stem research careers4 7#e7 ,to provide grants to institutions of higher education to recruit1 retain1 and advance ,,stem faculty members from underrepresented minority groups and to implement or expand reforms in undergraduate ,,stem education in order to increase the number of students from underrepresented minority groups receiving degrees in these fields4 #c4 ,federal science agency policies for caregivers 7a7 ,,ostp guidance ,not later than #f months after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director1 in consultation with relevant agencies1 shall provide guidance to each ,federal science agency to establish policies that-- 7#a7 apply to all-- 7,a7 research awards granted by such agency2 and 7,b7 principal investigators of such research who have caregiving responsibilities1 including care for a newborn or newly adopted child and care for an immediate family member who is sick or disabled2 and 7#b7 provide-- 7,a7 flexibility in timing for the initiation of approved research awards granted by such agency2 7,b7 no-cost extensions of such research awards2 7,c7 grant supplements1 as appropriate1 to research awards for research technicians or equivalent positions to sustain research activities conducted under such awards2 and 7,d7 any other appropriate accommodations at the discretion of the director of each such agency4 7b7 ,uniformity of guidance ,in providing guidance under subsection 7a71 the ,director shall encourage uniformity and consistency in the policies established pursuant to such guidance across all ,federal science agencies4 7c7 ,establishment of policies ,consistent with the guidance under subsection 7a71 ,federal science agencies shall-- 7#a7 maintain or develop and implement policies for individuals described in paragraph 7#a77;,b7 of such subsection2 and 7#b7 broadly disseminate such policies to current and potential grantees4 7d7 ,data on usage ,federal science agencies shall-- 7#a7 collect data on the usage of the policies under subsection 7c71 by gender1 at both institutions of higher education and ,federal laboratories2 and 7#b7 report such data on an annual basis to the ,director in such form as required by the ,director4 #d4 ,collection and reporting of data on ,federal research grants 7a7 ,collection of data 7#a7 ,in general ,each ,federal science agency shall collect1 as practicable1 with respect to all applications for merit-reviewed research and development grants to institutions of higher education and ,federal laboratories supported by that agency1 the standardized record-level annual information on demographics1 primary field1 award type1 institution type1 review rating1 budget request1 funding outcome1 and awarded budget4 7#b7 ,uniformity and standardization ,the ,director1 in consultation with the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation1 shall establish a policy to ensure uniformity and standardization of the data collection required under paragraph 7#a74 7#c7 ,record-level data 7,a7 ,requirement ,beginning not later than #b years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and on an annual basis thereafter1 each ,federal science agency shall submit to the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation record-level data collected under paragraph 7#a7 in the form required by such ,director4 7,b7 ,previous data ,as part of the first submission under subparagraph 7,a71 each ,federal science agency1 to the extent practicable1 shall also submit comparable record-level data for the #e years preceding the date of such submission4 7b7 ,reporting of data ,the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation shall publish statistical summary data1 as practicable1 collected under this section1 disaggregated and cross-tabulated by race1 ethnicity1 gender1 and years since completion of doctoral degree1 including in conjunction with the ,national ,science ,foundation's report required by section #cg of the ,science and ,engineering ,equal ,opportunities ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahhe;d74 #e4 ,policies for review of ,federal research grants 7a7 ,in general ,each ,federal science agency shall implement the policy recommendations with respect to reducing the impact of implicit bias at ,federal science agencies and grantee institutions as developed by the ,office of ,science and ,technology ,policy in the #bjaf report entitled ,reducing the ,impact of ,bias in the ,,stem ,workforce and any subsequent updates4 7b7 ,pilot activity ,in consultation with the ,national ,science ,foundation and consistent with policy recommendations referenced in subsection 7a71 each ,federal science agency shall implement a #b-year pilot orientation activity for program officers and members of standing review committees to educate reviewers on research related to1 and minimize the effects of1 implicit bias in the review of extramural and intramural ,federal research grants4 7c7 ,establishment of policies ,drawing upon lessons learned from the pilot activity under subsection 7b71 each ,federal science agency shall maintain or develop and implement evidence-based policies and practices to minimize the effects of implicit bias in the review of extramural and intramural ,federal research grants4 7d7 ,assessment of policies ,federal science agencies shall regularly assess1 and amend as necessary1 the policies and practices implemented pursuant to subsection 7c7 to ensure effective measures are in place to minimize the effects of implicit bias in the review of extramural and intramural ,federal research grants4 #f4 ,collection of data on demographics of faculty 7a7 ,collection of data 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #c years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 and at least every #e years thereafter1 the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation shall carry out a survey to collect data from grantees on the demographics of ,,stem faculty1 by broad fields of ,,stem1 at different types of institutions of higher education4 7#b7 ,considerations ,to the extent practicable1 the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation shall consider1 by gender1 race1 ethnicity1 citizenship status1 and years since completion of doctoral degree-- 7,a7 the number and percentage of faculty2 7,b7 the number and percentage of faculty at each rank2 7,c7 the number and percentage of faculty who are in nontenure-track positions1 including teaching and research2 7,d7 the number and percentage of faculty who are reviewed for promotion1 including tenure1 and the percentage of that number who are promoted1 including being awarded tenure2 7,e7 faculty years in rank2 7,f7 the number and percentage of faculty to leave tenure-track positions2 7,g7 the number and percentage of faculty hired1 by rank2 and 7,h7 the number and percentage of faculty in leadership positions4 7b7 ,existing surveys ,the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation1 may1 in modifying or expanding existing ,federal surveys of higher education 7as necessary7-- 7#a7 take into account the considerations under subsection 7a77#b7 by collaborating with statistical centers at other ,federal agencies2 or 7#b7 award a grant or contract to an institution of higher education or other nonprofit organization to take such considerations into account4 7c7 ,reporting data ,the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation shall publish statistical summary data collected under this section1 including as part of the ,national ,science ,foundation's report required by section #cg of the ,science and ,engineering ,equal ,opportunities ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahhe;d74 7d7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation #c1jjj1jjj in each of fiscal years #bjbj through #bjbb to develop and carry out the initial survey required under subsection 7a74 #g4 ,cultural and institutional barriers to expanding the academic and ,federal ,,stem workforce 7a7 ,best practices at institutions of higher education and ,federal laboratories 7#a7 ,development of guidance ,not later than #ab months after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director1 in consultation with the interagency working group on inclusion in ,,stem1 shall develop written guidance for institutions of higher education and ,federal laboratories on the best practices for-- 7,a7 conducting periodic climate surveys of ,,stem departments and divisions1 with a particular focus on identifying any cultural or institutional barriers to the recruitment1 retention1 or advancement of women1 racial and ethnic minorities1 and other groups historically underrepresented in ,,stem studies and careers2 and 7,b7 providing educational opportunities1 including workshops as described in subsection 7b71 for ,,stem faculty1 research personnel1 and administrators to learn about current research on implicit bias in recruitment1 evaluation1 and promotion of undergraduate and graduate students and research personnel4 7#b7 ,existing guidance ,in developing the guidance under paragraph 7#a71 the ,director shall utilize guidance already developed by ,federal science agencies4 7#c7 ,dissemination of guidance ,federal science agencies shall broadly disseminate the guidance developed under paragraph 7#a7 to institutions of higher education that receive ,federal research funding and ,federal laboratories4 7#d7 ,establishment of policies ,consistent with the guidance developed under paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation shall develop a policy that-- 7i7 applies to1 at a minimum1 doctoral degree granting institutions that receive ,federal research funding2 and 7ii7 requires each such institution1 not later than #c years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 to report to the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation on activities and policies developed and implemented based on the guidance developed under paragraph 7#a72 and 7,b7 each ,federal science agency with a ,federal laboratory shall maintain or develop and implement practices and policies for the purposes described in paragraph 7#a7 for such laboratory4 7b7 ,workshops ,to address cultural barriers to expanding the academic and ,federal ,,stem workforce 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #f months after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director1 in consultation with the interagency working group on inclusion in ,,stem1 shall recommend a uniform policy for ,federal science agencies to carry out a program of workshops that educate ,,stem department chairs at institutions of higher education1 senior managers at ,federal laboratories1 and other federally funded researchers about methods that minimize the effects of implicit bias in the career advancement1 including hiring1 tenure1 promotion1 and selection for any honor based in part on the recipient's research record1 of academic and ,federal ,,stem researchers4 7#b7 ,interagency coordination ,the ,director shall1 to the extent practicable1 ensure that workshops supported under this subsection are coordinated across ,federal science agencies and jointly supported as appropriate4 7#c7 ,minimizing costs ,to the extent practicable1 workshops shall be held in conjunction with national or regional ,,stem disciplinary meetings to minimize costs associated with participant travel4 7#d7 ,priority fields for academic participants ,in considering the participation of ,,stem department chairs and other academic researchers1 the ,director shall prioritize workshops for the broad fields of ,,stem in which the national rate of representation of women among tenured or tenure-track faculty or nonfaculty researchers at doctorate-granting institutions of higher education is less than #be percent1 according to the most recent data available from the ,national ,center for ,science and ,engineering ,statistics4 7#e7 ,organizations eligible to carry out workshops ,a ,federal science agency may carry out the program of workshops under this subsection by making grants to organizations made eligible by the ,federal science agency and any of the following organizations3 7,a7 ,nonprofit scientific and professional societies and organizations that represent one or more ,,stem disciplines4 7,b7 ,nonprofit organizations that have the primary mission of advancing the participation of women1 minorities1 or other groups historically underrepresented in ,,stem4 7#f7 ,characteristics of workshops ,the workshops shall have the following characteristics3 7,a7 ,invitees to workshops shall include at least-- 7i7 the chairs of departments in the relevant ,,stem discipline or disciplines from doctoral degree granting institutions that receive ,federal research funding2 and 7ii7 in the case of ,federal laboratories1 individuals with personnel management responsibilities comparable to those of an institution of higher education department chair4 7,b7 ,activities at the workshops shall include research presentations and interactive discussions or other activities that increase the awareness of the existence of implicit bias in recruitment1 hiring1 tenure review1 promotion1 and other forms of formal recognition of individual achievement for faculty and other federally funded ,,stem researchers and shall provide strategies to overcome such bias4 7,c7 ,research presentations and other workshop programs1 as appropriate1 shall include a discussion of the unique challenges faced by different underrepresented groups1 including minority women1 minority men1 persons from rural and underserved areas1 persons with disabilities1 gender and sexual minority individuals1 and first generation graduates in research4 7,d7 ,workshop programs shall include information on best practices for mentoring undergraduate1 graduate1 and postdoctoral women1 minorities1 and other students from groups historically underrepresented in ,,stem4 7#g7 ,data on workshops ,any proposal for funding by an organization seeking to carry out a workshop under this subsection shall include a description of how such organization will-- 7,a7 collect data on the rates of attendance by invitees in workshops1 including information on the home institution and department of attendees1 and the rank of faculty attendees2 7,b7 conduct attitudinal surveys on workshop attendees before and after the workshops2 and 7,c7 collect follow-up data on any relevant institutional policy or practice changes reported by attendees not later than one year after attendance in such a workshop4 7#h7 ,report to ,,nsf ,organizations receiving funding to carry out workshops under this subsection shall report the data required in paragraph 7#g7 to the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation in such form as required by such ,director4 7c7 ,report to ,congress ,not later than #d years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation shall submit a report to ,congress that includes-- 7#a7 a summary and analysis of the types and frequency of activities and policies developed and carried out under subsection 7a7 based on the reports submitted under paragraph 7#d7 of such subsection2 and 7#b7 a description and evaluation of the status and effectiveness of the program of workshops required under subsection 7b71 including a summary of any data reported under paragraph 7#h7 of such subsection4 7d7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation #a1jjj1jjj in each of fiscal years #bjbj through #bjbd to carry out this section4 #h4 ,research and dissemination at the ,national ,science ,foundation 7a7 ,in general ,the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation shall award research grants and carry out dissemination activities consistent with the purposes of this ,act1 including-- 7#a7 research grants to analyze the record-level data collected under section #d and section #f1 consistent with policies to ensure the privacy of individuals identifiable by such data2 7#b7 research grants to study best practices for work-life accommodation2 7#c7 research grants to study the impact of policies and practices that are implemented under this ,act or that are otherwise consistent with the purposes of this ,act2 7#d7 collaboration with other ,federal science agencies and professional associations to exchange best practices1 harmonize work-life accommodation policies and practices1 and overcome common barriers to work-life accommodation2 and 7#e7 collaboration with institutions of higher education in order to clarify and catalyze the adoption of a coherent and consistent set of work-life accommodation policies and practices4 7b7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation #e1jjj1jjj in each of fiscal years #bjbj through #bjbd to carry out this section4 #i4 ,research and related activities to expand ,,stem opportunities 7a7 ,national ,science ,foundation support for increasing diversity among ,,stem faculty at institutions of higher education ,section #cje of the ,american ,innovation and ,competitiveness ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbs-#e7 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subsections 7e7 and 7f7 as subsections 7g7 and 7h71 respectively2 and 7#b7 by inserting after subsection 7d7 the following3 7e7 ,support for increasing diversity among ,,stem faculty at institutions of higher education 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,director of the ,foundation shall award grants to institutions of higher education 7or consortia thereof7 for the development and assessment of innovative reform efforts designed to increase the recruitment1 retention1 and advancement of individuals from underrepresented minority groups in academic ,,stem careers4 7#b7 ,merit review2 competition ,grants shall be awarded under this subsection on a merit-reviewed1 competitive basis4 7#c7 ,use of funds ,activities supported by grants under this subsection may include-- 7,a7 institutional assessment activities1 such as data analyses and policy review1 in order to identify and address specific issues in the recruitment1 retention1 and advancement of faculty members from underrepresented minority groups2 7,b7 implementation of institution-wide improvements in workload distribution1 such that faculty members from underrepresented minority groups are not disadvantaged in the amount of time available to focus on research1 publishing papers1 and engaging in other activities required to achieve tenure status and run a productive research program2 7,c7 development and implementation of training courses for administrators and search committee members to ensure that candidates from underrepresented minority groups are not subject to implicit biases in the search and hiring process2 7,d7 development and hosting of intra- or inter-institutional workshops to propagate best practices in recruiting1 retaining1 and advancing faculty members from underrepresented minority groups2 7,e7 professional development opportunities for faculty members from underrepresented minority groups2 7,f7 activities aimed at making undergraduate ,,stem students from underrepresented minority groups aware of opportunities for academic careers in ,,stem fields2 7,g7 activities to identify and engage exceptional graduate students and postdoctoral researchers from underrepresented minority groups at various stages of their studies and to encourage them to enter academic careers2 and 7,h7 other activities consistent with paragraph 7#a71 as determined by the ,director of the ,foundation4 7#d7 ,selection process 7,a7 ,application ,an institution of higher education 7or a consortium of such institutions7 seeking funding under this subsection shall submit an application to the ,director of the ,foundation at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information and assurances as such ,director may require4 ,the application shall include1 at a minimum1 a description of-- 7i7 the reform effort that is being proposed for implementation by the institution of higher education2 7ii7 any available evidence of specific difficulties in the recruitment1 retention1 and advancement of faculty members from underrepresented minority groups in ,,stem academic careers within the institution of higher education submitting an application1 and how the proposed reform effort would address such issues2 7iii7 how the institution of higher education submitting an application plans to sustain the proposed reform effort beyond the duration of the grant2 and 7iv7 how the success and effectiveness of the proposed reform effort will be evaluated and assessed in order to contribute to the national knowledge base about models for catalyzing institutional change4 7,b7 ,review of applications ,in selecting grant recipients under this subsection1 the ,director of the ,foundation shall consider1 at a minimum-- 7i7 the likelihood of success in undertaking the proposed reform effort at the institution of higher education submitting the application1 including the extent to which the administrators of the institution are committed to making the proposed reform effort a priority2 7ii7 the degree to which the proposed reform effort will contribute to change in institutional culture and policy such that greater value is placed on the recruitment1 retention1 and advancement of faculty members from underrepresented minority groups2 7iii7 the likelihood that the institution of higher education will sustain or expand the proposed reform effort beyond the period of the grant2 and 7iv7 the degree to which evaluation and assessment plans are included in the design of the proposed reform effort4 7,c7 ,grant distribution ,the ,director of the ,foundation shall ensure1 to the extent practicable1 that grants awarded under this section are made to a variety of types of institutions of higher education4 7#e7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection #h1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbj through #bjbd4 4 7b7 ,national ,science ,foundation support for broadening participation in undergraduate ,,stem education ,section #cje of the ,american ,innovation and ,competitiveness ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbs-#e71 as amended by subsection 7a71 is further amended by inserting after subsection 7e7 the following3 7f7 ,support for broadening participation in undergraduate ,,stem education 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,director of the ,foundation shall award grants to institutions of higher education 7or a consortium of such institutions7 to implement or expand research-based reforms in undergraduate ,,stem education for the purpose of recruiting and retaining students from minority groups who are underrepresented in ,,stem fields4 7#b7 ,merit review2 competition ,grants shall be awarded under this subsection on a merit-reviewed1 competitive basis4 7#c7 ,use of funds ,activities supported by grants under this subsection may include-- 7,a7 implementation or expansion of innovative1 research-based approaches to broaden participation of underrepresented minority groups in ,,stem fields2 7,b7 implementation or expansion of bridge1 cohort1 tutoring1 or mentoring programs1 including those involving community colleges and technical schools1 designed to enhance the recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented minority groups in ,,stem fields2 7,c7 implementation or expansion of outreach programs linking institutions of higher education and ,k-#ab school systems in order to heighten awareness among pre-college students from underrepresented minority groups of opportunities in college-level ,,stem fields and ,,stem careers2 7,d7 implementation or expansion of faculty development programs focused on improving retention of undergraduate ,,stem students from underrepresented minority groups2 7,e7 implementation or expansion of mechanisms designed to recognize and reward faculty members who demonstrate a commitment to increasing the participation of students from underrepresented minority groups in ,,stem fields2 7,f7 expansion of successful reforms aimed at increasing the number of ,,stem students from underrepresented minority groups beyond a single course or group of courses to achieve reform within an entire academic unit1 or expansion of successful reform efforts beyond a single academic unit or field to other ,,stem academic units or fields within an institution of higher education2 7,g7 expansion of opportunities for students from underrepresented minority groups to conduct ,,stem research in industry1 at ,federal labs1 and at international research institutions or research sites2 7,h7 provision of stipends for students from underrepresented minority groups participating in research2 7,i7 development of research collaborations between research-intensive universities and primarily undergraduate minority-serving institutions2 7,j7 support for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from underrepresented minority groups to participate in instructional or assessment activities at primarily undergraduate institutions1 including primarily undergraduate minority-serving institutions and two-year institutions of higher education2 and 7,k7 other activities consistent with paragraph 7#a71 as determined by the ,director of the ,foundation4 7#d7 ,selection process 7,a7 ,application ,an institution of higher education 7or a consortium thereof7 seeking a grant under this subsection shall submit an application to the ,director of the ,foundation at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information and assurances as such ,director may require4 ,the application shall include1 at a minimum-- 7i7 a description of the proposed reform effort2 7ii7 a description of the research findings that will serve as the basis for the proposed reform effort or1 in the case of applications that propose an expansion of a previously implemented reform1 a description of the previously implemented reform effort1 including data about the recruitment1 retention1 and academic achievement of students from underrepresented minority groups2 7iii7 evidence of an institutional commitment to1 and support for1 the proposed reform effort1 including a long-term commitment to implement successful strategies from the current reform beyond the academic unit or units included in the grant proposal2 7iv7 a description of existing or planned institutional policies and practices regarding faculty hiring1 promotion1 tenure1 and teaching assignment that reward faculty contributions to improving the education of students from underrepresented minority groups in ,,stem2 and 7v7 how the success and effectiveness of the proposed reform effort will be evaluated and assessed in order to contribute to the national knowledge base about models for catalyzing institutional change4 7,b7 ,review of applications ,in selecting grant recipients under this subsection1 the ,director of the ,foundation shall consider1 at a minimum-- 7i7 the likelihood of success of the proposed reform effort at the institution submitting the application1 including the extent to which the faculty1 staff1 and administrators of the institution are committed to making the proposed institutional reform a priority of the participating academic unit or units2 7ii7 the degree to which the proposed reform effort will contribute to change in institutional culture and policy such that greater value is placed on faculty engagement in the retention of students from underrepresented minority groups2 7iii7 the likelihood that the institution will sustain or expand the proposed reform effort beyond the period of the grant2 and 7iv7 the degree to which evaluation and assessment plans are included in the design of the proposed reform effort4 7,c7 ,grant distribution ,the ,director of the ,foundation shall ensure1 to the extent practicable1 that grants awarded under this subsection are made to a variety of types of institutions of higher education1 including two-year and minority-serving institutions of higher education4 7#e7 ,education research 7,a7 ,in general ,all grants made under this subsection shall include an education research component that will support the design and implementation of a system for data collection and evaluation of proposed reform efforts in order to build the knowledge base on promising models for increasing recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented minority groups in ,,stem education at the undergraduate level across a diverse set of institutions4 7,b7 ,dissemination ,the ,director of the ,foundation shall coordinate with relevant ,federal agencies in disseminating the results of the research under this paragraph to ensure that best practices in broadening participation in ,,stem education at the undergraduate level are made readily available to all institutions of higher education1 other ,federal agencies that support ,,stem programs1 non-,federal funders of ,,stem education1 and the general public4 7#f7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection #ae1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbj through #bjbd4 4 #aj4 ,tribal ,colleges and ,universities ,program 7a7 ,grants ,to broaden tribal college and university student participation in computer science ,section #ebe of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbp-#ac7 is amended by inserting after subsection 7c7 the following3 7d7 ,grants ,to broaden tribal college and university student participation in computer science 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,director1 as part of the program authorized under this section1 shall award grants on a competitive1 merit-reviewed basis to eligible entities to increase the participation of tribal populations in computer science and computational thinking education programs to enable students to develop skills and competencies in coding1 problem-solving1 critical thinking1 creativity and collaboration4 7#b7 ,purpose ,grants awarded under this subsection shall support-- 7,a7 research and development needed to bring computer science and computational thinking courses and degrees to tribal colleges and universities2 7,b7 research and development of instructional materials needed to integrate computer science and computational thinking into programs that are culturally relevant to students attending tribal colleges and universities2 7,c7 research1 development1 and evaluation of distance education for computer science and computational thinking courses and degree programs for students attending tribal colleges and universities2 and 7,d7 other activities consistent with the activities described in paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#d7 of subsection 7b71 as determined by the ,director4 7#c7 ,partnerships ,a tribal college or university seeking a grant under this subsection1 or a consortia thereof1 may partner with an institution of higher education or nonprofit organization with demonstrated expertise in academic program development4 7#d7 ,coordination ,in carrying out this subsection1 the ,director shall consult and cooperate with the programs and policies of other relevant ,federal agencies to avoid duplication with and enhance the effectiveness of the program under this subsection4 7#e7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,director of the ,foundation #b1jjj1jjj in each of fiscal years #bjbj through #bjbd to carry out this subsection4 4 7b7 ,evaluation 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation shall evaluate the grant program authorized under section #ebe of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbp-#ac71 as amended by subsection 7a74 7#b7 ,requirements ,in conducting the evaluation under paragraph 7#a71 the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation shall1 as practicable-- 7,a7 use a common set of benchmarks and assessment tools to identify best practices and materials developed or demonstrated by the research conducted pursuant to grants programs under section #ebe of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbp-#ac72 7,b7 include an assessment of the effectiveness of such grant programs in expanding access to high quality ,,stem education1 research1 and outreach at tribal colleges and universities1 as applicable2 7,c7 assess the number of students who participated in such grant programs2 and 7,d7 assess the percentage of students participating in such grant programs who successfully complete their education programs4 7#c7 ,report ,not later than #ahj days after the date on which the evaluation under paragraph 7#a7 is completed1 the ,director of the ,national ,science ,foundation shall submit to ,congress and make available to the public1 a report on the results of the evaluation1 including any recommendations for legislative action that could optimize the effectiveness of the grant program authorized under section #ebe of the ,america ,,competes ,reauthorization ,act of #bjaj1 as amended by subsection 7a74 #aa4 ,report to ,congress ,not later than #d years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,director shall submit a report to ,congress that includes-- 7#a7 a description and evaluation of the status and usage of policies implemented pursuant to section #c at all ,federal science agencies1 including any recommendations for revising or expanding such policies2 7#b7 with respect to efforts to minimize the effects of implicit bias in the review of extramural and intramural ,federal research grants under section #e-- 7,a7 what steps all ,federal science agencies have taken to implement policies and practices to minimize such effects2 7,b7 a description of any significant updates to the policies for review of ,federal research grants required under such section2 and 7,c7 any evidence of the impact of such policies on the review or awarding of ,federal research grants2 and 7#c7 a description and evaluation of the status of institution of higher education and ,federal laboratory policies and practices required under section #g7;a71 including any recommendations for revising or expanding such policies4 #ab4 ,merit review ,nothing in this ,act shall be construed as altering any intellectual or broader impacts criteria at ,federal science agencies for evaluating grant applications4 #ac4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,director ,the term ,director means the ,director of the ,office of ,science and ,technology ,policy4 7#b7 ,federal laboratory ,the term ,federal laboratory has the meaning given such term in section #d of the ,stevenson-,wydler ,technology ,innovation ,act of #aihj 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #cgjc74 7#c7 ,federal science agency ,the term ,federal science agency means any ,federal agency with at least #ajj1jjj1jjj in research and development expenditures in fiscal year #bjah4 7#d7 ,institution of higher education ,the term institution of higher education has the meaning given such term in section #aja7;a7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja7;a774 7#e7 ,interagency working group on inclusion in ,,stem ,the term interagency working group on inclusion in ,,stem means the interagency working group established by section #cjh of the ,american ,innovation and ,competitiveness ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ffbf74 7#f7 ,,stem ,the term ,,stem means science1 technology1 engineering1 and mathematics1 including computer science4