[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 68 (Monday, April 12, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19031-19032]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-07381]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Intent To Seek Approval To Establish an Information 
Collection

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans to 
request approval for the collection of research and development data 
through the Directorate of Computer and Information Science and 
Engineering (CISE) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Past 
Participant Survey. In accordance with the requirement of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, we are providing opportunity for public comment 
on this action. After obtaining and considering public comment, NSF 
will prepare the submission requesting that OMB approve clearance of 
this collection for no longer than 3 years.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by June 11, 
2021 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable.

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).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title of Collection: CISE REU Past Participant Survey--2021 Impact 
of REU Participation on Career Pathways.
    OMB Approval Number: 3145-NEW.
    Expiration Date of Current Approval: Not applicable.
    Type of Request: Intent to establish an information collection.
    Abstract: Every year the National Science Foundation (NSF) funds 
hundreds of Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) activities 
through it REU program. The Directorate of Computer and Information 
Science and Engineering (CISE) is seeking to evaluate the effectiveness 
of the CISE REU program.
    REUs provide undergraduate students at US higher education 
institutions to work with a faculty on a research project. They can 
take the form of REU Sites or REU Supplements. REU Sites are based on 
independent proposals to initiate and conduct projects that engage a 
number of students in research, and

[[Page 19032]]

REU Supplements are included as a component of proposals for new or 
renewal NSF grants or cooperative agreements or may be requested for 
ongoing NSF-funded research projects. By offering this opportunity to 
undergraduate students the REU program seeks to expand student 
participation in all kinds of research--both disciplinary and 
interdisciplinary--encompassing efforts by individual investigators, 
groups, centers, national facilities, and others. It draws on the 
integration of research and education to attract a diverse pool of 
talented students into careers in science and engineering, including 
teaching and education research related to science and engineering, and 
to help ensure that these students receive the best education possible.
    The data collection intends to assess the impact of REU 
participation on career pathways and will be done through an online 
survey. The researchers will collect data from past participants 
including the students and the mentors with a separate survey 
customized for each group. The specific evaluation objectives are:
    1. Identify the career trajectory of the REU participants since 
their participation in the REU program including degrees they received, 
institutions they attended, and their current status (e.g., employed, 
graduate students).
    2. Document the structure of the REU experience that the 
respondents participated in. These may include the type of REU (e.g., 
Site, Supplement), location of REU, and timing of REU.
    3. Describe the REU mentors' perceptions of the REU program on the 
student participants and the mentors' career development.
    4. Examine the skills the participants gained and experiences they 
had during their REU participation. These may include technical skills, 
information on graduate school application process, and research 
training.
    5. Analyze the relationships between REU participation and career 
pathways specifically focusing on whether these experiences are 
associated with the participants' interest in and ultimate selection of 
research careers in computing.
    Ultimately, the findings from the analysis of this data collection 
will be used to improve the impact of CISE REU Program in order to 
better reach its goals of providing meaningful research opportunities 
to undergraduate students and, in doing so, attracting a broad range of 
students to computing/STEM careers.
    Use of information: The information collected through this survey 
will be used to evaluate the NSF CISE REU Program.
    Expected Respondents: The survey will be sent to students and 
mentors who participated in the NSF CISE REU Program through an REU 
Site or a Supplement. Further, in order to obtain data from an 
appropriate comparison group, the researchers will also include 
participants of other REUs and similar activities. The CISE REU Program 
participant list will be obtained from NSF and comparison group 
participants will be culled from a list of individuals previously 
surveyed by the researchers. The estimated number of individuals who 
will be receiving this survey is 25,000. Based on an approximate 
response rate of 30%, there will be an estimated 7,500 respondents when 
the data collection is completed.
    Average time per respondent: The online survey is designed to be 
completed in 20 minutes or less.
    Frequency: Each respondent will be asked to complete this survey 
once during late summer/early fall 2021.
    Estimated burden on public: Based on 7,500 estimated responses and 
20 minutes per respondent, the estimate for this data collection is 
2,500 burden hours.
    Comments: Comments are invited on:
    1. Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the evaluation of the CISE REU Program.
    2. The accuracy of the NSF's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information.
    3. 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.
    4. Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

    Dated: April 6, 2021.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2021-07381 Filed 4-9-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P