Short title

This Act may be cited as the

10,000 Trained by 2011 Act

Findings

The Congress finds that— (1)the National Science Foundation has long been a government leader in strengthening our Nation’s information infrastructure; (2)as automation and digitization penetrate additional industries, they will need to draw heavily on the expertise of researchers funded by the National Science Foundation for the collection, processing, and utilization of information; (3)the National Science Foundation’s basic research, demonstrations, and curriculum development assistance are all required to help make sure industry has the knowledge, procedures, and workforce necessary to take full advantage of advanced communications and information technology; (4)information management is growing in importance with projected growth of 49 percent by 2010 in some major sectors related to biology; and (5)no systematic plan exists for designing and implementing systems and information tools and for ensuring that major segments of the United States workforce can make the transition to the information age.

Definitions

In this Act: (1)

Director

The term Director means the Director of the National Science Foundation. (2)

Information

The term information means information in those segments of the United States economy where the Federal Government plays a significant role and where a transition is underway to the use of digital data. (3)

Institution of higher education

The term institution of higher education has the meaning give that term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).

National Science Foundation research

(a)

Grants

(1)

In general

The Director, in consultation with the heads of other Federal agencies as appropriate, shall award grants for basic research on innovative approaches to improve information systems. Research areas may include— (A)information studies; (B)population informatics; (C)translational informatics; and (D)data security, integrity, and confidentiality. (2)

Merit Review; Competition

Grants shall be awarded under this section on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis. (3)

Authorization of Appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation to carry out this subsection— (A)$3,500,000 for fiscal year 2008; (B)$3,600,000 for fiscal year 2009; (C)$3,700,000 for fiscal year 2010; and (D)$3,800,000 for fiscal year 2011. (b)

Informatics research centers

(1)

In general

The Director, in consultation with the heads of other Federal agencies as appropriate, shall award multiyear grants, subject to the availability of appropriations, to institutions of higher education (or consortia thereof) to establish multidisciplinary Centers for Informatics Research. Institutions of higher education (or consortia thereof) receiving such grants may partner with one or more government laboratories, for-profit institutions, or nonprofit institutions. (2)

Merit review; competition

Grants shall be awarded under this subsection on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis. (3)

Purpose

The purpose of the Centers shall be to generate innovative approaches in information by conducting cutting-edge, multidisciplinary research, including in the research areas described in subsection (a)(1). (4)

Applications

An institution of higher education (or a consortium thereof) seeking funding under this subsection shall submit an application to the Director at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director may require. The application shall include, at a minimum, a description of— (A)the research projects that will be undertaken by the Center and the contributions of each of the participating entities; (B)how the Center will promote active collaboration among professionals from different disciplines, such as information technology specialists, scientists and other professionals in fields transitioning to dependence on digital information, administrators, and social science researchers; and (C)how the Center will contribute to increasing the number of information researchers and other professionals. (5)

Criteria

In evaluating the applications submitted under paragraph (4), the Director shall consider, at a minimum— (A)the ability of the applicant to generate innovative approaches to information and effectively carry out the research program; (B)the experience of the applicant in conducting research in the information field, and the capacity of the applicant to foster new multidisciplinary collaborations; (C)the capacity of the applicant to attract and provide adequate support for undergraduate and graduate students to pursue information research; and (D)the extent to which the applicant will partner with government laboratories or for-profit or nonprofit entities, and the role the government laboratories or for-profit or nonprofit entities will play in the research undertaken by the Center. (6)

Annual meeting

The Director shall convene an annual meeting of the Centers in order to foster collaboration and communication between Center participants. (7)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated for the National Science Foundation to carry out this subsection— (A)$4,500,000 for fiscal year 2008; (B)$4,600,000 for fiscal year 2009; (C)$4,700,000 for fiscal year 2010; and (D)$4,800,000 for fiscal year 2011.

National Science Foundation Information Programs

(a)

Capacity Building Grants

(1)

In general

The Director, in consultation with the heads of other Federal agencies as appropriate, shall establish a program to award grants to institutions of higher education (or consortia thereof) to establish or improve undergraduate and master’s degree information programs, to increase the number of students who pursue undergraduate or master’s degrees in information fields, to provide students with experience in government or industry related to their information studies, and, to the extent practicable, to do so using distance learning. (2)

Merit review; competition

Grants shall be awarded under this subsection on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis. (3)

Use of funds

Grants awarded under this subsection shall be used for activities that enhance the ability of an institution of higher education (or consortium thereof) to provide high-quality information education, including certification and undergraduate and master’s degree programs, and to recruit and retain increased numbers of students to such programs. Activities may include— (A)developing and revising curriculum to better prepare undergraduate and master’s degree students for careers in the information field; (B)establishing degree and certificate programs in the information field; (C)creating opportunities in information research for undergraduate students; (D)acquiring equipment necessary for student instruction in these programs, including the installation of testbed networks for student use; (E)providing opportunities for faculty to work with State, local, or Federal Government agencies, private industry, and other academic institutions to develop new expertise or to formulate new information research directions; (F)collaborating with other academic institutions or departments that seek to establish, expand, or enhance these programs; (G)establishing student internships for students in these programs at State, local, and Federal Government agencies, in private industry, and in nonprofit institutions; (H)establishing or enhancing bridge programs in information fields between community colleges and universities; and (I)any other activities the Director, in consultation with the heads of other Federal agencies as appropriate, determines will achieve the purposes described in paragraph (1). (4)

Selection process

(A)

Application

An institution of higher education (or a consortium thereof) seeking funding under this subsection shall submit an application to the Director at such time, in such manner, and with such contents as the Director may require. The application shall include, at a minimum— (i)a description of the applicant’s relevant research and instructional capacity, and in the case of an application from a consortium of institutions of higher education, a description of the role that each member will play in implementing the proposal; (ii)a comprehensive plan by which the institution or consortium will build instructional capacity in information fields; (iii)a description of relevant collaborations with State, local, or Federal Government agencies or private industry that inform the instructional program; (iv)a survey of the applicant’s historic student enrollment and placement data and a study of potential enrollment and placement for students enrolled in the proposed program; and (v)a plan to evaluate the success of the proposed program, including postgraduate assessment of graduate school and job placement and retention rates as well as the relevance of the instructional program to graduate study and to the workplace. (B)

Awards

The Director shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that grants are awarded under this subsection in a wide range of geographic areas and categories of institutions of higher education. (5)

Assessment required

The Director, in consultation with the heads of other Federal agencies as appropriate, shall evaluate the program established under this subsection no later than 3 years after the establishment of the program. At a minimum, the Director shall evaluate the extent to which the grants have achieved their objectives of increasing the quality and quantity of students pursuing undergraduate or master’s degrees in information fields. The Director shall make this assessment publicly available. (6)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation to carry out this subsection— (A)$9,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; (B)$9,200,000 for fiscal year 2009; (C)$9,400,000 for fiscal year 2010; and (D)$9,600,000 for fiscal year 2011. (b)

Scientific and advanced technology act of 1992

(1)

Grants

The Director shall provide grants under the Scientific and Advanced Technology Act of 1992 for the purposes of section 3(a) and (b) of that Act, except that the activities supported pursuant to this subsection shall be limited to improving education in fields related to information. (2)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation to carry out this subsection— (A)$7,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; (B)$7,200,000 for fiscal year 2009; (C)$7,400,000 for fiscal year 2010; and (D)$7,600,000 for fiscal year 2011.

Report on Standardization of Measures related to Digital Information

Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall report to the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on its efforts related to informatics, including standards harmonization, research, and technical support that relates to the work of standards development organizations who are developing and maintaining informatics standards, and its efforts in support of executive orders related to digitization and informatics. The report shall also include timetables for the promulgation of information standards, a description of the major challenges in reaching the point at which these standards can be promulgated, efforts that should be taken to ensure that the digital information is usable by scientists and researchers, and, consistent with Public Law 104–113, a description of those actions that the National Institute of Standards and Technology could take to ensure that these standards are both robust and timely.