Undergraduate STEM education

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— 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— In carrying out activities under this subsection, the Director shall encourage applications to develop, enhance, or expand cooperative STEM education and training partnerships between institutions of higher education, industry, and labor organizations. The Director shall make awards, on a competitive basis, to institutions of higher education (including postsecondary vocational institutions) to support career and technical education in STEM and computer science related fields. In making awards under this subsection, the Director shall give priority to institutions that demonstrate effective strategies to recruit and provide career and technical education to veterans and members of the Armed Forces transitioning to the private sector workforce. In this subsection, the term “career and technical education” has the meaning given that term in section 2302 of title 20. The Director shall carry out a 4-year pilot program under which the Director shall make awards, on a competitive basis, to institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations (or consortia of such institutions or organizations) to establish a total of not fewer than five Centers to develop and scale up successful models for providing undergraduate students with hands-on, course-based research experiences. Awards made under this paragraph shall be used to— In making awards under this paragraph, the Director shall consider the extent to which the proposed Center will establish partnerships among multiple types of academic institutions, including community colleges, emerging research institutions, EPSCoR institutions, historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal Colleges or Universities, and minority-serving institutions, the private sector, and other relevant stakeholders in supporting programs and activities to facilitate faculty training and the widespread and sustained implementation of promising, evidence-based practices, models, programs, and curriculum. 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—