I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 889 
To provide for fulfilling the potential of women in academic science and 
engineering, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 2, 2011 
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas (for herself, Mr. STARK, Mr. REYES, 
Mr. MARKEY, Ms. EDWARDS, Ms. FUDGE, Mr. HONDA, Mr. HINOJOSA, 
Mr. TONKO, Mr. HOLT, Mr. WU, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Ms. WASSERMAN 
SCHULTZ, Ms. WOOLSEY, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. GRIJALVA, and 
Ms. NORTON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
A BILL 
To provide for fulfilling the potential of women in academic 
science and engineering, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fulfilling the Potential 
of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Act of 
2011’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
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(1) Many reports over the past decade have 
found that it is critical to our Nation’s economic 
leadership and global competitiveness that we edu-
cate and train more scientists and engineers. 
(2) In its 2007 report entitled ‘‘Beyond Bias 
and Barriers’’, the National Academies stated that, 
in order to maintain its scientific and engineering 
leadership amid increasing economic and educational 
globalization, the United States must aggressively 
pursue the innovative capacity of all of its people— 
women and men. 
(3) Research shows that the number of women 
who are interested in science, technology, engineer-
ing, and mathematics (STEM) careers is reduced at 
every educational transition, from high school on 
through full professorships. 
(4) According to data compiled by National 
Science Foundation in 2006, women now earn about 
half of all science and engineering bachelor’s de-
grees, but major variations persist among fields. For 
example, women still receive only 20 percent of all 
bachelor’s degrees awarded in engineering and phys-
ics. 
(5) Even in science and engineering fields with 
a higher representation of women, such as the social 
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and behavioral sciences, women remain underrep-
resented among university faculty. According to data 
compiled by the National Science Foundation, for 
over 30 years women have made up over 30 percent 
of the doctorates in social sciences and behavioral 
sciences and over 20 percent in the life sciences. Yet, 
at the top research institutions, only 15.4 percent of 
the full professors in the social and behavioral 
sciences and 14.8 percent in the life sciences are 
women. 
(6) Across fields, women remain a small portion 
of the science and engineering faculty members at 
major research universities, and they typically re-
ceive fewer institutional resources for their research 
activities than their male colleagues. 
(7) Studies have not found any significant bio-
logical differences between men and women in per-
forming science and mathematics that can account 
for the lower representation of women in academic 
faculty and scientific leadership positions in these 
fields. 
(8) A substantial body of evidence establishes 
that most people hold implicit biases. Decades of 
cognitive psychology research reveals that most peo-
ple carry prejudices of which they are unaware but 
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that nonetheless play a large role in evaluations of 
people and their work. Unintentional biases and out-
moded institutional structures are hindering the ac-
cess for women to, and advancement of women in, 
science and engineering. 
(9) Workshops held to educate faculty about 
unintentional biases have demonstrated success in 
raising awareness of such biases. 
(10) The Federal Government provides over 60 
percent of research funding at institutions of higher 
education, and through its grant making policies has 
had significant influence on institution of higher 
education policies, including policies related to insti-
tutional culture and structure. 
SEC. 3. FULFILLING THE POTENTIAL OF WOMEN IN ACA-
DEMIC SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘Federal science agency’’ means 
any Federal agency that is responsible for at least 
2 percent of total Federal research and development 
funding to institutions of higher education, accord-
ing to the most recent data available from the Na-
tional Science Foundation; 
(2) the term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ 
has the meaning given such term in section 101(a) 
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of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1001(a)); 
(3) the term ‘‘STEM’’ means science, tech-
nology, engineering, and mathematics; and 
(4) the term ‘‘United States’’ means the several 
States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth 
of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American 
Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands, and any other territory or possession of the 
United States. 
(b) WORKSHOPS TO ENHANCE GENDER EQUITY IN 
ACADEMIC SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director 
of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall 
develop a uniform policy for all Federal science 
agencies to carry out a program of workshops that 
educate program officers, members of grant review 
panels, institution of higher education STEM de-
partment chairs, and other federally funded re-
searchers about methods that minimize the effects of 
gender bias in evaluation of Federal research grants 
and in the related academic advancement of actual 
and potential recipients of these grants, including 
hiring, tenure, promotion, and selection for any 
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honor based in part on the recipient’s research 
record. 
(2) INTERAGENCY COORDINATION.—The Direc-
tor of the Office of Science and Technology Policy 
shall ensure that programs of workshops across the 
Federal science agencies are coordinated and sup-
ported jointly as appropriate. As part of this proc-
ess, the Director of the Office of Science and Tech-
nology Policy shall ensure that at least 1 workshop 
is supported every 2 years among the Federal 
science agencies in each of the major science and en-
gineering disciplines supported by those agencies. 
(3) ORGANIZATIONS ELIGIBLE TO CARRY OUT 
WORKSHOPS.—Federal science agencies may carry 
out the program of workshops under this subsection 
by making grants to eligible organizations. In addi-
tion to any other organizations made eligible by the 
Federal science agencies, the following organizations 
are eligible for grants under this subsection: 
(A) Nonprofit scientific and professional 
societies and organizations that represent one 
or more STEM disciplines. 
(B) Nonprofit organizations that have the 
primary mission of advancing the participation 
of women in STEM. 
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(4) CHARACTERISTICS
OF
WORKSHOPS.—The 
workshops shall have the following characteristics: 
(A) Invitees to workshops shall include at 
least— 
(i) the chairs of departments in the 
relevant discipline from at least the top 50 
institutions of higher education, as deter-
mined by the amount of Federal research 
and development funds obligated to each 
institution of higher education in the prior 
year based on data available from the Na-
tional Science Foundation; 
(ii) members of any standing research 
grant review panel appointed by the Fed-
eral science agencies in the relevant dis-
cipline; 
(iii) in the case of science and engi-
neering disciplines supported by the De-
partment of Energy, the individuals from 
each of the Department of Energy Na-
tional Laboratories with personnel manage-
ment responsibilities comparable to those 
of an institution of higher education de-
partment chair; and 
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(iv) Federal science agency program 
officers in the relevant discipline, other 
than program officers that participate in 
comparable workshops organized and run 
specifically for that agency’s program offi-
cers. 
(B) Activities at the workshops shall in-
clude research presentations and interactive dis-
cussions or other activities that increase the 
awareness of the existence of gender bias in the 
grant-making process and the development of 
the academic record necessary to qualify as a 
grant recipient, including recruitment, hiring, 
tenure review, promotion, and other forms of 
formal recognition of individual achievement, 
and provide strategies to overcome such bias. 
(C) Research presentations and other 
workshop programs, as appropriate, shall in-
clude a discussion of the unique challenges 
faced by women who are members of histori-
cally underrepresented groups. 
(D) Workshop programs shall include in-
formation on best practices and the value of 
mentoring undergraduate and graduate women 
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students as well as outreach to girls earlier in 
their STEM education. 
(5) REPORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 5 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Di-
rector of the Office of Science and Technology 
Policy shall transmit to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Sen-
ate a report evaluating the effectiveness of the 
program carried out under this subsection to 
reduce gender bias towards women engaged in 
research funded by the Federal Government. 
The Director of the Office of Science and Tech-
nology Policy shall include in this report any 
recommendations for improving the evaluation 
process described in subparagraph (B). 
(B) MINIMUM
CRITERIA
FOR
EVALUA-
TION.—In determining the effectiveness of the 
program, the Director of the Office of Science 
and Technology Policy shall consider, at a min-
imum— 
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(i) the rates of participation by 
invitees in the workshops authorized under 
this subsection; 
(ii) the results of attitudinal surveys 
conducted on workshop participants before 
and after the workshops; 
(iii) any relevant institutional policy 
or practice changes reported by partici-
pants; and 
(iv) for individuals described in para-
graph (4)(A) (i) or (iii) who participated in 
at least 1 workshop 3 or more years prior 
to the due date for the report, trends in 
the data for the department represented by 
the chair or employee including faculty 
data related to gender as described in sec-
tion 4. 
(C) 
INSTITUTIONAL
ATTENDANCE
AT 
WORKSHOPS.—As part of the report under sub-
paragraph (A), the Director of the Office of 
Science and Technology Policy shall include a 
list of institutions of higher education science 
and engineering departments whose representa-
tives attended the workshops required under 
this subsection. 
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(6) MINIMIZING COSTS.—To the extent prac-
ticable, workshops shall be held in conjunction with 
national or regional disciplinary meetings to mini-
mize costs associated with participant travel. 
(c) EXTENDED RESEARCH GRANT SUPPORT AND IN-
TERIM TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR CAREGIVERS.— 
(1) POLICIES
FOR
CAREGIVERS.—Not later 
than 6 months after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Director of the Office of Science and Tech-
nology Policy shall develop a uniform policy to— 
(A) extend the period of grant support for 
federally 
funded 
researchers 
who 
have 
caregiving responsibilities; and 
(B) provide funding for interim technical 
staff support for federally funded researchers 
who take a leave of absence for caregiving re-
sponsibilities. 
(2) REPORT.—Upon developing the policy re-
quired under paragraph (1), the Director of the Of-
fice of Science and Technology Policy shall transmit 
a copy of the policy to the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology of the House of Representa-
tives and to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate. 
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(d) COLLECTION OF DATA ON FEDERAL RESEARCH 
GRANTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each Federal science agency 
shall collect standardized annual composite informa-
tion on demographics, field, award type and budget 
request, review score, and funding outcome for all 
applications for research and development grants to 
institutions of higher education supported by that 
agency. 
(2) REPORTING OF DATA.— 
(A) The Director of the Office of Science 
and Technology Policy shall establish a policy 
to ensure uniformity and standardization of 
data collection required under paragraph (1). 
(B) Not later than 2 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, and annually there-
after, each Federal science agency shall submit 
data collected under paragraph (1) to the Na-
tional Science Foundation. 
(C) The National Science Foundation shall 
be responsible for storing and publishing all of 
the grant data submitted under subparagraph 
(B), disaggregated and cross-tabulated by race, 
ethnicity, and gender, in conjunction with the 
biennial report required under section 37 of the 
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Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1885d). 
(e) PUBLICATION OF LIST OF INSTITUTIONAL PAR-
TICIPATION IN WORKSHOPS TO ENHANCE GENDER EQ-
UITY IN ACADEMIC SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING.—The 
Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, 
on the basis of data reported by the Federal science agen-
cies, shall publish annually a list of institutions of higher 
education science and engineering departments rep-
resented by individuals who attend the workshops de-
scribed in this section. The list shall be publicly available 
through the Web site of the Office of Science and Tech-
nology Policy. Any institution of higher education science 
and engineering department that is publicized on the list 
may publicize its receipt of such recognition on its Web 
site, in printed materials, or through other means. 
SEC. 4. COLLECTION OF DATA ON DEMOGRAPHICS OF FAC-
ULTY. 
(a) COLLECTION OF DATA.—The Director of the Na-
tional Science Foundation shall report, in conjunction with 
the biennial report required under section 37 of the 
Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 
U.S.C. 1885d), statistical summary data on the demo-
graphics of STEM discipline faculty at institutions of 
higher education in the United States, disaggregated and 
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cross-tabulated by race, ethnicity, and gender. At a min-
imum, the Director shall consider— 
(1) the number and percent of faculty by gen-
der, race, and age; 
(2) the number and percent of faculty at each 
rank, by gender, race, and age; 
(3) the number and percent of faculty who are 
in nontenure-track positions, including teaching and 
research, by gender, race, and age; 
(4) the number of faculty who are reviewed for 
promotion, including tenure, and the percentage of 
that number who are promoted, by gender, race, and 
age; 
(5) faculty years in rank by gender, race, and 
age; 
(6) faculty attrition by gender, race, and age; 
(7) the number and percent of faculty hired by 
rank, gender, race, and age; and 
(8) the number and percent of faculty in leader-
ship positions, including endowed or named chairs, 
serving on promotion and tenure committees, by 
gender, race, and age. 
(b) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The Director of the Na-
tional Science Foundation shall solicit input and rec-
ommendations from relevant stakeholders, including rep-
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resentatives from institutions of higher education and non-
profit organizations, on the collection of data required 
under subsection (a), including the development of stand-
ard definitions on the terms and categories to be used in 
the collection of such data. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 2 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of 
the National Science Foundation shall submit a report to 
Congress on how the National Science Foundation will 
gather the demographic data on STEM faculty, includ-
ing— 
(1) a description of the data to be reported and 
the sources of those data; 
(2) justification for the exclusion of any data 
described in paragraph (1); and 
(3) a list of the definitions for the terms and 
categories, such as ‘‘faculty’’ and ‘‘leadership posi-
tions’’, to be applied in the reporting of all data de-
scribed in paragraph (1). 
Æ 
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