Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was enacted as part of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, also known as the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Reauthorization Act of 2010, and not as part of the National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 which comprises this chapter.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
STEM Education Advisory Panel
Pub. L. 114–329, title III, § 303, Jan. 6, 2017, 130 Stat. 3004, provided that:
“(a) Establishment.—
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment this Act [
Jan. 6, 2017], the Director of the Foundation, Secretary of Education, Administrator of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and Administrator of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall jointly establish an advisory
panel (referred to in this section as the ‘STEM Education Advisory
Panel’) to advise the Committee on STEM Education of the National Science and Technology Council (referred to in this section as ‘CoSTEM’) on matters relating to STEM education.
“(b) Members.—
“(1) In general.—
The STEM Education Advisory
Panel shall be composed of not less than 11 members.
“(2) Appointment.—
“(A) In general.—
Subject to subparagraph (B), the Director of the Foundation, in consultation with the Secretary of Education and the heads of the Federal science agencies, shall appoint the members of the STEM Education Advisory
Panel.
“(B) Consideration.—
In selecting individuals to appoint under subparagraph (A), the Director of the Foundation shall seek and give consideration to recommendations from
Congress, industry, the scientific community, including the National Academy of Sciences, scientific professional societies, academia, State and local governments, organizations representing individuals identified in section 33 or section 34 of the
Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (
42 U.S.C. 1885a, 1885b), and such other organizations as the Director considers appropriate.
“(C) Qualifications.—Members shall—
“(i)
primarily be individuals from academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and industry, including in-school, out-of-school, and informal education practitioners; and
“(ii)
be individuals who are qualified to provide advice and information on STEM education research, development, training, implementation, interventions, professional development, or workforce needs or concerns.
“(c) Responsibilities.—
“(1) In general.—The STEM Education Advisory Panel shall—
“(C)
help identify any need or opportunity to update the strategic plan under section 101(b) of that Act.
“(2) Considerations.—In its advisory role, the STEM Education Advisory Panel shall consider—
“(A)
the management, coordination, and implementation of STEM education programs and activities across the Federal Government;
“(B)
the appropriateness of criteria used by Federal agencies to evaluate the effectiveness of Federal STEM education programs and activities;
“(C)
whether societal and workforce concerns are adequately addressed by current Federal STEM education programs and activities;
“(D)
how Federal agencies can incentivize institutions of higher education to improve retention of STEM students;
“(E)
ways to leverage private and nonprofit STEM investments and encourage public-private partnerships to strengthen STEM education and help build the STEM workforce pipeline;
“(F)
ways to incorporate workforce needs into Federal STEM education programs and activities, particularly for specific employment fields of national interest and employment fields experiencing high unemployment rates;
“(G)
ways to better vertically and horizontally integrate Federal STEM education programs and activities from pre-kindergarten through graduate study and the workforce, and from in-school to out-of-school in order to improve transitions for students moving through the STEM education and workforce pipelines;
“(I)
ways to encourage geographic diversity in the STEM education and the workforce pipelines.
“(3) Recommendations.—
The STEM Education Advisory
Panel shall make recommendations to improve Federal STEM education programs and activities based on each assessment under paragraph (1)(B).
“(d) Funding.—
The Director of the Foundation, the Secretary of Education, the Administrator of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Administrator of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall jointly make funds available on an annual basis to support the activities of the STEM Education Advisory
Panel.
“(e) Reports.—
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [
Jan. 6, 2017], and after each assessment under subsection (c)(1)(B), the STEM Education Advisory
Panel shall submit to the appropriate committees of
Congress and CoSTEM a report on its assessment under that subsection and its recommendations under subsection (c)(3).
“(f) Travel Expenses of Non-Federal Members.—
“(1) In general.—
Non-Federal members of the STEM Education Advisory
Panel, while attending meetings of the
panel or while otherwise serving at the request of a co-chairperson away from their homes or regular places of business, may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by
section 5703 of title 5, United States Code, for individuals in the Government serving without pay.
“(2) Rule of construction.—
Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit members of the STEM Advisory
Panel who are officers or employees of the United States from being allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with existing law.
“(g) Termination.—
The STEM Education Advisory
Panel established under subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date that it is established.”
[For definitions of terms as used in section 303 of Pub. L. 114–329, set out above, see section 2 of Pub. L. 114–329, set out as a note under section 1862s of this title.]
Definitions
Pub. L. 114–59, § 2, Oct. 7, 2015, 129 Stat. 540, provided that:
“For purposes of carrying out STEM education activities at the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Environmental Protection Agency, the term ‘STEM education’ means education in the subjects of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, including computer science.”
Pub. L. 111–358, § 2, Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3984, provided that:
“In this Act [see Tables for classification]:
“(1) Director.—
In title I [enacting this section, sections
6622 to
6624 of this title, and
section 3719 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade, and amending
section 20144 of Title 51, National and Commercial Space Programs], the term ‘Director’ means the Director of the
Office of Science and Technology Policy.
“(2) STEM.—
The term ‘STEM’ means the academic and professional disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.”