[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 197 (Friday, October 9, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64171-64172]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-22417]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request for NSF INCLUDES 
National Network Survey.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the 
following information collection requirement to OMB for review and 
clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This is the second 
notice for public comment; the first was published in the Federal 
Register, and no comments were received. NSF is forwarding the proposed 
submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance 
simultaneously with the publication of this second notice.

DATES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAmain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance 
Officer, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, 
Alexandria, VA 22314, or send email to [email protected]. Individuals 
who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the 
Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339, which is 
accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (including 
federal holidays).
    Copies of the submission may be obtained by calling 703-292-7556.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NSF may not conduct or sponsor a collection 
of information unless the collection of information displays a 
currently valid OMB control number and the agency informs potential 
persons who are to respond to the collection of information that such 
persons are not required to respond to the collection of information 
unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
    Title of Collection: NSF INCLUDES National Network Survey.
    OMB Number: 3145-NEW.
    Proposed Project: In 2016, the National Science Foundation (NSF) 
unveiled a set of ``Big Ideas,'' 10 bold, long-term research and 
process ideas that identify areas for future investment at the 
frontiers of science and engineering (see https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/big_ideas/index.jsp). The Big Ideas represent unique 
opportunities to position our Nation at the cutting edge of global 
science and engineering leadership by bringing together diverse 
disciplinary perspectives to support convergence research.
    The NSF INCLUDES Big Idea is a comprehensive national initiative to 
enhance U.S. leadership in science, technology, engineering, and 
mathematics (STEM) discoveries and innovations focused on NSF's 
commitment to diversity, inclusion, and broadening participation in 
these fields. The vision of NSF INCLUDES is to catalyze the STEM 
enterprise to work collaboratively for inclusive change, resulting in a 
STEM workforce that reflects the population of the Nation.
    More specifically, NSF INCLUDES seeks to improve collaborative 
efforts aimed at enhancing the preparation, increasing the 
participation, and ensuring the contributions of individuals from 
groups that have been historically underrepresented and underserved in 
the STEM enterprise such as African Americans, Alaska Natives, 
Hispanics, Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, Native Pacific 
Islanders, persons with disabilities, persons from economically 
disadvantaged backgrounds, and women and girls. Significant advancement 
in the inclusion of underrepresented groups in STEM will result in a 
new generation of STEM talent and leadership to secure our nation's 
future and long-term economic competitiveness.
    A hallmark of NSF INCLUDES is the focus on the five design elements 
of

[[Page 64172]]

collaborative infrastructure to achieve systemic change. Collaborative 
infrastructure refers to the process by which partnering organizations 
come together to map out mutually reinforcing activities through: (1) 
Shared vision, (2) partnerships, (3) goals and metrics, (4) leadership 
and communication, and (5) expansion, sustainability and scale. Through 
these five design elements of collaborative infrastructure, the 
successful implementation of NSF INCLUDES will result in substantial 
advances toward a diverse, innovative, and well-prepared STEM workforce 
to support our Nation's economy and continued U.S. leadership in the 
global STEM enterprise. It is anticipated that NSF's investment will 
contribute to new and improved STEM career pathways, policies, 
opportunities to learn, and practices for equity and inclusion.
    The initiative is supported by the NSF INCLUDES Coordination Hub 
(www.includesnetwork.org) that provides a framework for communication 
and networking, network assistance and reinforcement, and visibility 
and expansion for the NSF INCLUDES National Network as a whole. The Hub 
leads and supports the National Network, working to (1) facilitate the 
sharing of promising practices and data for broadening participation in 
STEM, (2) contribute to the knowledge base on broadening participation 
in STEM through research, and (3) establish a framework for 
communications and networking among partners, as well as across the 
National Network.
    NSF is requesting OMB approval for the NSF INCLUDES Coordination 
Hub to collect information from members of the NSF INCLUDES National 
Network. The NSF INCLUDES Coordination Hub seeks to collect feedback 
data from Network members to help inform Hub activities, assess the 
development and health of the NSF INCLUDES National Network, and begin 
tracking progress against the Hub's theory of action for building a 
collaborative infrastructure at the Network level. The purpose of the 
collection is to allow Network members to provide feedback on 
Coordination Hub support to date and to identify support needs in the 
coming year and collect data that will inform the Hub's shared measures 
work and network support and expansion goals. This information will be 
used by the Hub to refine its activities in support of the Network and 
to share with Network members. The NSF INCLUDES National Network is 
composed of:
     NSF INCLUDES grantees
     Other NSF funded projects,
     Federal Coordination in STEM (FC-STEM) agencies,
     Scholars engaged in broadening participation research, and
     Organizations that support the development of talent from 
all sectors of society to build an inclusive STEM workforce.
    Information collected will include name of the respondents, their 
affiliated organizations, email addresses, and home states. These 
personal identifiable information (PII) are collected primarily to 
categorize responses based on respondents' roles in the NSF INCLUDES 
National Network. These PII data will be accessed only by the 
Coordination Hub. Any public reporting of data will be in aggregate 
form, and any personal identifiers will be removed.
    Use of the Information: The information collected is primarily for 
the use of the NSF INCLUDES Coordination Hub to understand the utility 
of the network in supporting their project success, and for informing 
design decisions the Coordination Hub will make regarding future 
programming and support provided to network members.
    Estimate burden on the public: Estimated at 550 hours per year for 
the life of the Coordination Hub's cooperative agreement with NSF.
    Respondents: Members of the NSF INCLUDES National Network. The NSF 
INCLUDES National Network is comprised of individuals who are 
interested in or working directly to broaden participation in STEM. 
Some of these individuals are NSF INCLUDES grantees; others who have 
received other NSF awards, or pursue broadening participation in STEM 
with support from other sources, including grants from federal, state, 
philanthropic, or business entities. Some are themselves 
representatives of these various types of funders or businesses, such 
as program officers at NSF, other Federal agencies, and private 
foundations.
    Estimated number of respondents: 1,500.
    Average Time per Reporting: 20 minutes.
    Frequency: Once per year.
    Comments: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the Agency, including whether the information shall 
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of 
the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information on 
respondents, including through the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology; and (d) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology.
    Please submit one copy of your comments by only one method. All 
submissions received must include the agency name and collection name 
identified above for this information collection. Commenters are 
strongly encouraged to transmit their comments electronically via 
email. Comments, including any personal information provided become a 
matter of public record. They will be summarized and/or included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget approval of the information 
collection request.

    Dated: October 6, 2020.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2020-22417 Filed 10-8-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P