[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 72 (Friday, April 14, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23105-23107]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-07943]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

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ACTION: Submission for OMB review; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the 
following request for revision of the approved collection of research 
and development data in accordance with 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 renewal 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 ADDITIONAL 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: Computer and Information Science and 
Engineering (CISE) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites 
and Supplements Evaluation.
    OMB Approval Number: 3145-0266.
    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 CISE REU Principal Investigators (PIs). 
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 PIs.
    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 PIs 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 an 18-month period. It is estimated that 
during this time, there will be approximately 1,188 NSF CISE REU survey 
respondents, 1,175 comparison group survey respondents, and 100 NSF 
CISE REU PI respondents, for a total of 2,463 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. The three REU PI forms require 15 minutes or less to 
complete.
    Frequency: Each NSF CISE REU site 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 1 CISE REU site participants who will only complete a follow-up 
survey. For cohort 2, NSF CISE REU supplement participants will only 
complete a follow-up survey. Each comparison group participant, 
including both those with a different research experience and those 
with no research experience, will

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be asked to complete a pre-test survey and a follow-up survey occurring 
approximately one year later. Within the data collection timeline for 
this project, there will be one full data collection cycle for 
comparison group participants, plus a subset of Cohort 1 comparison 
group participants who will only complete a follow-up survey. Each NSF 
CISE REU PI will complete an Evaluation Interest Form to enroll in the 
evaluation, a Time 1 PI REU Information Form before their REU begins, 
and a Time 2 REU PI Information Form when their REU ends. Within the 
data collection timeline for this project, there will be one full data 
collection cycle for the REU PIs.
    Estimate burden on the public: For REU participants, there will be 
one cohort of complete data collection (pre-test, post-test, and 
follow-up), plus a subset of Cohort 1 CISE REU site participants who 
will only complete a follow-up survey. For Cohort 1, it is expected 
that approximately 188 REU participants will complete a 25-minute one-
year follow-up survey. Based on an expected 1,000 REU participant 
respondents per cohort, it is expected that a total of approximately 
1,000 REU respondents will complete a 25-minute pre-survey for Cohort 
2. Of these 1,000 REU participant respondents, we expect approximately 
70%, or 700, will complete a 25-minute post-survey. For the follow-up 
survey, 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 2,388 25-minute surveys completed by REU respondents, 
for a total of 996 burden hours for this subset of respondents.
    For comparison group participants, there will be one cohort of data 
collection (pre-test and follow-up) plus a subset of Cohort 1 
comparison group participants who will only complete a follow-up 
survey. For Cohort 1, it is expected that approximately 175 comparison 
group participants will complete a 25-minute one-year follow-up survey. 
For Cohort 2, it is expected that 1,000 respondents will complete a 25-
minute pre-survey. Of these 1,000, approximately 50%, or 500, are 
expected to complete a 25-minute one-year follow-up survey. This would 
result in 1,675 surveys completed by comparison group respondents for 
698 burden hours.
    For REU PIs, there will be 18 months of complete data collection 
(Evaluation Interest Form and Time 1 and Time 2 REU PI Information 
Forms). Based on an expected 100 NSF CISE REU PIs choosing to receive 
evaluation services in each of the two years, It is expected that 
approximately 100 REU PIs will complete all forms (total completion 
time for all three is approximately 15 minutes or less). This would 
result in 25 burden hours for this subset of respondents.
    Together, the total estimated survey burden for the project is 
1,719 hours. The calculations are shown in Table 1.

                                        Table 1--Estimated Survey Burden
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                                                                     Number of
                                           Number of cohort 1        cohort 2      Participation
        Category of respondent                  responses            responses    time (minutes)  Burden (hours)
                                                                  (partial year)
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REU participant Pre-survey............  Completed...............           1,000              25             417
REU participant Post-survey (70% of     Completed...............             700              25             292
 original).
REU participant Follow-up survey (50%   188.....................             500              25             287
 of original).
Comparison participant Pre-survey.....  Completed...............           1,000              25             417
Comparison participant Follow-up        175.....................             500              25             281
 survey (50% of original).
REU PI Evaluation Interest Form.......  N/A.....................             100               3               5
REU PI Time 1 Information Form........  Completed...............             100               2            3.33
REU PI Time 2 Information Form........  Completed...............             100              10           16.67
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    Total surveys to be completed.....  363.....................           4,000  ..............           1,719
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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: April 11, 2023.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2023-07943 Filed 4-13-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P