Undergraduate Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Education Improvement Act

1/16/2023, 8:18 AM
Undergraduate Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Education Improvement Act - Technology Talent Act of 2002 - Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to award competitive, merit-based grants to increase the number of students studying and receiving associate's or bachelor's degrees in established or emerging fields within science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. Provides that an institution receiving such a grant shall be known as a National Science Foundation Science and Engineering Talent Expansion Center.

(Sec. 5) Establishes a program of grants to expand previously implemented reforms of undergraduate science, mathematics, engineering, or technology education demonstrated to have been successful in increasing the number and quality of students studying and receiving associate or baccalaureate degrees in such fields.

(Sec. 6) Establishes a program of grants for professional development of undergraduate faculty in support of improved undergraduate science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education.

(Sec. 7) Establishes a program of grants to support acquisition of research-grade instrumentation and training related to its use.

(Sec. 8) Establishes a program of grants to establish sites that provide research experiences for undergraduate science, mathematics, engineering, or technology students.

(Sec. 9) Requires the Director to ensure Internet dissemination of certain information by all NSF-sponsored undergraduate science, mathematics, engineering, or technology education projects.

(Sec. 10) Requires the Director to: (1) evaluate the effectiveness of all NSF-supported undergraduate science, mathematics, engineering, or technology education activities in increasing the number and quality of students, including those from groups underrepresented in such fields, studying and receiving associate or baccalaureate degrees in such fields; and (2) establish a common set of assessment benchmarks and tools for every NSF-sponsored project to use.

(Sec. 11) Requires the Director to: (1) arrange for the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences to study factors that influence undergraduate students to enter and persist to degree completion in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology programs or to leave such programs; and (2) report the study results to Congress.

(Sec. 12) Establishes a program of grants to Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native-Serving Institutions, Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions, and tribally controlled colleges and universities to: (1) enhance the quality of undergraduate science, mathematics, and engineering education at such institutions; and (2) increase the retention and graduation rates of students pursuing baccalaureate degrees in such fields.

(Sec. 13) Amends the Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 (SATA) to include improving the quality of their core education courses in science and mathematics among the uses of national advanced scientific and technical education program grants to associate-degree-granting colleges. Requires, as a condition for receiving certain grants for aiding transition of students from associate- to bachelor-degree-granting-institutions, that articulation partnerships provide students with research experiences and faculty mentors at bachelor-degree-granting institutions in the partnership.

Requires the Director to: (1) establish an advisory committee on the advanced technological education program; and (2) report to Congress on specified NSF and other efforts with regard to the program and other SATA requirements.

Extends the authorization of appropriations for acquisition of instrumentation under SATA. Authorizes appropriations for the following programs added to SATA by this Act: (1) activities to improve core science and mathematics education; and (2) support for research experiences for undergraduate students.

Congress
107

Number
HR - 3130

Introduced on
2001-10-16

# Amendments
0

Sponsors
+5

Cosponsors
+5

Variations and Revisions

7/11/2002

Status of Legislation

Bill Introduced
Introduced to House
House to Vote
Introduced to Senate
Senate to Vote

Purpose and Summary

Undergraduate Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Education Improvement Act - Technology Talent Act of 2002 - Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to award competitive, merit-based grants to increase the number of students studying and receiving associate's or bachelor's degrees in established or emerging fields within science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. Provides that an institution receiving such a grant shall be known as a National Science Foundation Science and Engineering Talent Expansion Center.

(Sec. 5) Establishes a program of grants to expand previously implemented reforms of undergraduate science, mathematics, engineering, or technology education demonstrated to have been successful in increasing the number and quality of students studying and receiving associate or baccalaureate degrees in such fields.

(Sec. 6) Establishes a program of grants for professional development of undergraduate faculty in support of improved undergraduate science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education.

(Sec. 7) Establishes a program of grants to support acquisition of research-grade instrumentation and training related to its use.

(Sec. 8) Establishes a program of grants to establish sites that provide research experiences for undergraduate science, mathematics, engineering, or technology students.

(Sec. 9) Requires the Director to ensure Internet dissemination of certain information by all NSF-sponsored undergraduate science, mathematics, engineering, or technology education projects.

(Sec. 10) Requires the Director to: (1) evaluate the effectiveness of all NSF-supported undergraduate science, mathematics, engineering, or technology education activities in increasing the number and quality of students, including those from groups underrepresented in such fields, studying and receiving associate or baccalaureate degrees in such fields; and (2) establish a common set of assessment benchmarks and tools for every NSF-sponsored project to use.

(Sec. 11) Requires the Director to: (1) arrange for the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences to study factors that influence undergraduate students to enter and persist to degree completion in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology programs or to leave such programs; and (2) report the study results to Congress.

(Sec. 12) Establishes a program of grants to Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native-Serving Institutions, Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions, and tribally controlled colleges and universities to: (1) enhance the quality of undergraduate science, mathematics, and engineering education at such institutions; and (2) increase the retention and graduation rates of students pursuing baccalaureate degrees in such fields.

(Sec. 13) Amends the Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992 (SATA) to include improving the quality of their core education courses in science and mathematics among the uses of national advanced scientific and technical education program grants to associate-degree-granting colleges. Requires, as a condition for receiving certain grants for aiding transition of students from associate- to bachelor-degree-granting-institutions, that articulation partnerships provide students with research experiences and faculty mentors at bachelor-degree-granting institutions in the partnership.

Requires the Director to: (1) establish an advisory committee on the advanced technological education program; and (2) report to Congress on specified NSF and other efforts with regard to the program and other SATA requirements.

Extends the authorization of appropriations for acquisition of instrumentation under SATA. Authorizes appropriations for the following programs added to SATA by this Act: (1) activities to improve core science and mathematics education; and (2) support for research experiences for undergraduate students.

Alternative Names
Official Title as IntroducedTo provide for increasing the technically trained workforce in the United States.

Policy Areas
Education

Potential Impact
Authorization•
College teachers•
Community colleges•
Congress•
Congressional reporting requirements•
Cost effectiveness•
Economics and Public Finance•
Education of the disadvantaged•
Educational accountability•
Educational innovations•
Electronic government information•
Engineering•
Engineers•
Federal advisory bodies•
Federal aid to Indians•
Federal aid to higher education•
Finance and Financial Sector•
Government Operations and Politics•
Government publicity•
Graduate students•
Hawaiians•
High technology•
Higher education•
Hispanic Americans•
Indian education•
Infrastructure•
Interactive media•
Internet•
Labor and Employment•
Laboratories•
Learning•
Mathematics•
Mentoring•
Minorities•
Minority education•
Part-time employment•
Research•
Scholarships•
Science, Technology, Communications•
Scientific education•
Social Welfare•
Summer employment•
Teacher education•
Teacher salaries•
Teaching•
Technical education•
Technological innovations•
Women•
Women engineers•
Women scientists•
Women's education•
World Wide Web

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Recent Activity

Latest Summary11/28/2006
Undergraduate Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Education Improvement Act - Technology Talent Act of 2002 - Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to award competitive, merit-based grants to increase the number...

Latest Action7/11/2002
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.