[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 197 (Thursday, October 13, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62119-62121]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-22258]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Request for Revision of an Information Collection

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Revision of an approved information collection and request for 
comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans to 
request a revision for the approved collection of research and 
development data through the CISE REU Sites and Supplements Evaluation. 
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 the revision of this collection 
for no longer than 3 years.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by December 12, 
2022 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; telephone 703-292-7556 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: Computer and Information Science and 
Engineering (CISE) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites 
and Supplements Evaluation.
    OMB Approval Number: 3145-0266.
    Expiration Date of Current Approval: April 30, 2025.
    Type of Request: Revision of an approved information collection.
    Abstract: Every year the National Science Foundation (NSF) funds 
hundreds of Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) activities 
through its REU program. The Directorate of Computer and Information 
Science and Engineering (CISE) is seeking to evaluate the effectiveness 
of the CISE REU program.
    The REU program provides undergraduate students at US higher 
education institutions with opportunities to work with 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. 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. The REU experience integrates 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.
    The current data collection project intends to measure the impact 
of the undergraduate REU Sites and REU Supplements programs sponsored 
by NSF CISE. The project will conduct online surveys to track NSF CISE 
REU participants over time--including pre-program, post-program and 
one-year post-program measurement--alongside two comparison groups: (1) 
students participating in other undergraduate research, and (2) 
students who do not participate in research. The researchers will 
supplement REU participants' survey data with basic REU information and 
perceptions of impact from NSF

[[Page 62120]]

CISE REU Principal Investigators (PI's). The evaluation and research 
questions guiding this project include the following:
    1. Who are the students reached through the NSF REU Program, and 
how do they compare to students participating in other types of 
research experiences and to students in the broader CISE community?
    2. How do CISE REU Sites and REU Supplements differ from other 
research experiences (e.g., other REUs, internships, and independent 
research projects)?
    3. To what extent are the goals of the NSF REU Program being met by 
the individual projects within the program, including recruitment and 
retention of students in science and engineering fields and increasing 
diversity in these fields?
    4. In what ways does participation in REU Sites, REU Supplements, 
internships, and/or other independent research experiences impact 
student attitudes and pathways to CISE careers and other research 
experiences?
    5. In what ways does participation in the REU Sites and REU 
Supplements impact recruitment and retention of students who are 
underrepresented in computing?
    Ultimately, the findings from this data collection will be used to 
understand and improve the impact of the CISE REU program, including 
increasing recruitment and retention in science and engineering and 
promoting a diverse group of computing/STEM careers.
    Use of the information: The information collected through this 
survey will be used to evaluate the NSF CISE REU Program.
    Respondents: There will be four types of respondents: NSF CISE REU 
Site and Supplement participants, a comparison group of undergraduate 
students who participate in other, non-NSF REU research experiences, a 
comparison group of undergraduate students who do not participate in 
research, and NSF CISE REU PI's.
    NSF CISE REU participants will include undergraduate students who 
participate in REU projects in which the project's Principal 
Investigator chooses to use NSF-sponsored program evaluation services. 
Participants from the two comparison groups will be identified and 
recruited from a pool of undergraduates in computing fields who have 
participated in a prior survey of the Computing Research Association 
and have agreed to be contacted for future data collection. The 
participating NSF CISE REU PI's will also complete PI REU Information 
Forms at the beginning and end of their REUs.
    Estimated number of respondents: The study's data collection 
activities will occur over a span of 18 months. It is estimated that 
during this time, there will be approximately 2,000 NSF CISE REU survey 
respondents, 1,000 comparison group survey respondents, and 200 NSF 
CISE REU PI respondents, for a total of 3,200 respondents.
    Average time per reporting: Each online survey for REU participants 
and comparison group respondents is designed to be completed in 25 
minutes or less. Each REU PI Information Form is designed to be 
completed in 10 minutes or less.
    Frequency: Each NSF CISE REU participant will be asked to complete 
three surveys: (1) a pre-test before they begin their REU project; (2) 
a post-test, after their REU ends; and (3) a one-year follow-up survey. 
Within the data collection timeline for this project, this will allow 
for one full data collection cohort, plus a subset of Cohort 2 summer 
REU participants who will only complete a pre-test and a post-test, but 
no follow-up survey. Each comparison group participant, including both 
those with a different research experience and those with no research 
experience, will be asked to complete a pre-test survey and a follow-up 
survey occurring approximately one year later. There will be one full 
data collection cycle for comparison group participants. Each NSF CISE 
REU PI will complete a Time 1 PI REU Information Form before their REU 
begins and a Time 2 REU PI Information Form when their REU ends. There 
will be two data collection cycles for the REU PIs.
    Estimate burden on the public: For REU participants, in the 18 
months of data collection, there will be one cohort of complete data 
collection (pre-test, post-test, and follow-up) and one cohort with a 
partial data collection cycle (pre-test and post-test only). Based on 
an expected 1,000 REU participant respondents per cohort, it is 
expected that a total of approximately 2,000 REU respondents will 
complete a 25-minute pre-survey in the project. Of these 2,000 REU 
participant respondents, we expect that approximately 80%, or 1,600, 
will complete a 25-minute post-survey. For the follow-up survey, only 
the 1,000 REU participants from the first year's data collection cohort 
would be able to complete the survey within the time range of the 
study. It is expected that approximately 50% of these respondents, or N 
= 500, will complete a 25-minute one-year follow-up survey. This would 
result in a total of 4,100 25-minute surveys completed by REU 
respondents, for a total of 1,708 burden hours for this subset of 
respondents.
    For comparison group participants, there will be just one cohort of 
data collection (pre-test and follow-up). It is expected that a total 
of 1,000 of these respondents will complete a 25-minute pre-survey in 
the project. Of these, approximately 50%, or 500, are expected to 
complete a 25-minute one-year follow-up survey. This would result in a 
total of 1,500 surveys completed by comparison group respondents, for a 
total of 625 burden hours.
    For REU PI's, there will be 18 months of complete data collection 
(Time 1 and Time 2 REU PI Information Forms). Based on an expected 100 
NSF CISE REU PI's choosing to receive evaluation services in each of 
the two years, It is expected that a total of approximately 200 REU 
PI's will complete both the Time 1 and Time 2 PI REU Information Forms 
(each one takes 10 minutes to complete). This would result in a total 
of 400 10-minute forms completed by REU PI's, for a total of 67 burden 
hours for this subset of respondents.
    Together, the total estimated survey burden for the project is 
2,400 hours. The calculations are shown in Table 1.

                                        Table 1--Estimated Survey Burden
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                                                       Number of
                                       Number of       cohort 2                                       Burden
      Category of respondent           cohort 1        responses         Participation time           (hours)
                                       responses    (partial year)
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REU participant Pre-survey........           1,000           1,000  25 mins each                          833.33
REU participant Post-survey (80%               800             800  25 mins each                          666.67
 of original).
REU participant Follow-up survey               500   Not conducted  25 mins each                          208.33
 (50% of original).
Comparison participant Pre-survey.           1,000   Not conducted  25 mins each                          416.67
Comparison participant Follow-up               500   Not conducted  25 mins each                          208.33
 survey (50% of original).

[[Page 62121]]

 
REU PI Time 1 Information Form....             100             100  10 mins each                           33.33
REU PI Time 2 Information Form....             100             100  10 mins each                           33.33
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    Total surveys completed.......           4,000           2,000  400 @10 min                            2,400
                                                                    5600 @ 25 mins
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    Comments: Comments are invited on:
    1. Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the evaluation of the CISE REU Sites and Supplements 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.

    Dated: October 7, 2022.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2022-22258 Filed 10-12-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P