Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 1992
PL 102-476 (S.1146), enacted 10/23/1992

PUBLIC LAW 102-476~OCT. 23, 1992 
106 STAT. 2297 
Public Law 102-476 
102d Congress 
An Act 
To establish a national advanced technician training program, utilizing the resources 
of the Nation's two-year associate-degree-granting colleges to expand the pool 
of skilled technicians in strategic advanced-technology fields, to increase the pro-
ductivity of the Nation's industries, and to improve the competitiveness of the 
United States in international trade, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the "Scientific and Advanced-Tech-
nology Act of 1992". 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that— 
(1) the position of the United States in the world economy 
faces great challenges from highly trained foreign competition; 
(2) the workforce of the United States must be better 
prepared for the technologically advanced, competitive, global 
economy; 
(3) the improvement of our work force's productivity and 
our 
international 
economic 
position 
depend 
upon the 
strengthening of our educationsd efforts in science, mathe-
matics, and technology, especially at the associate-degree level; 
(4) shortages of scientifically and technically trained work-
ers in a wide variety of fields will best be addressed by col-
laboration among the Nation's associate-degree-granting col-
leges and private industry to produce skilled, advanced techni-
cians; and 
(5) the National Science Foundation's traditional role in 
developing model curricula, disseminating instructional mate-
rials, enhancing faculty development, and stimulating partner-
ships between educational institutions and industry, makes 
an enlarged role for the Foundation in scientific and technical 
education and training particularly appropriate. 
(b) PuitPOSES.—It is the purpose of this Act to— 
(1) improve science and technical education at associate-
degree-granting colleges; 
(2) improve secondary school and postsecondary curricula 
in mathematics and science; 
(3) improve the educational opportimities of postsecondary 
students by creating comprehensive articulation agreements 
and planning between 2-year and 4-year institutions; and 
(4) promote outreach to secondary schools to improve 
mathematics and science instruction. 
SEC. 3. SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION. 
(a) NATIONAL ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL EDUCA-i-iON 
PROGRAM.—^The Director of the National Science Foundation (here-
after in this Act referred to as the "Director") shall award grants 
Oct. 23,1992 
[S. 1146] 
Scientific and 
Advanced-
Technology Act 
of 1992. 
42 use 1861 
note. 
42 u s e 1862h. 
Grants. 
42 u s e 1862i. 
106 STAT. 2298 
PUBLIC LAW 102-476—CKJT. 23,1992 
to associate-degree-granting colleges, and consortia thereof, to assist 
them in providing education in advanced-technology fields. The 
grant program shall place emphasis on the needs of students who 
have been in the workforce (including work in the home), and 
shall be designed to strengthen and expand the scientific and tech-
nical education and training capabilities of associate-degree-grant-
ing colleges through such methods as— 
(1) the development of model instructional programs in 
advanced-technology fields; 
(2) the professional development of faculty and instructors, 
both full- and part-time, in advanced-technology fields; 
(3) the establishment of innovative partnership arrange-
ments that— 
(A) involve associate-degree-granting colleges and other 
appropriate public and private sector entities, and 
(B) provide for private sector donations, 
faculty 
opportiuiities to have short-term assignments with indus-
try, sharing of program costs, equipment loans, and the 
cooperative use of laboratories, plants, and other facilities, 
and 
provision 
for 
state-of-the-art 
work 
experience 
opportunities for students enrolled in such programs; 
(4) the acquisition of state-of-the-art instrumentation essen-
tial to programs designed to prepare and upgrade students 
in scientific and advanced-technology fields; and 
(5) the development and dissemination of instructional 
materials in support of improving the advanced scientific and 
technical education and training capabilities of associate-
degree-granting colleges, including programs for students who 
are not pursuing a science degree. 
(b) NATIONAL CENTERS OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL EDU-
CATION.—^The Director shall award grants for the establishment 
of centers of excellence, not to exceed 10 in number, among associ-
ate-degree-granting colleges. Centers shall meet one or both of 
the following criteria: 
(1) Exceptional instructional programs in advanced-tech-
nology fields. 
(2) Excellence in undergraduate education in mathematics 
and science. 
The centers shall serve as national and regional clearinghouses 
and models for the benefit of both colleges and secondary schools, 
and shall provide seminars and programs to disseminate model 
curricula and model teaching methods and instructional materials 
to other associate-degree-granting colleges in the geographic region 
served by the center. 
(c) ARTICULATION PARTNERSHIPS.— 
(1) PARTNERSHIP GRANTS.—(A) The Director shall make 
grants to ehgible partnerships to encourage students to pursue 
bachelor degrees in mathematics, science, engineering, or tech-
nology, and to assist students pursuing bachelor degrees in 
mathematics, science, engineering, or technology to make the 
transition fi-om associate-degree-granting colleges to bachelor-
degree-granting institutions, through such means as— 
(i) examining curricula to ensure that academic credit 
earned at the associate-degree-granting college is transfer-
able to bachelor-degree-granting institutions; 
PUBLIC LAW 102-476—OCT. 23,1992 
106 STAT. 2299 
(ii) informing teachers from the associate-degree-grant-
ing college on the specific requirements of courses at the 
bachelor-degree-granting institution; and 
(iii) providing summer educational programs for stu-
dents from the associate-degree-granting college to encour-
age such students' subsequent matriculation at bachelor-
degree-granting institutions. 
(B) Each eligible partnership receiving a grant under this 
paragraph shall, at a minimimi— 
(i) counsel students, including students who have been 
in the workforce (including work in the home), about the 
requirements and course offerings of the bachelor-degree-
granting institution; and 
(ii) conduct workshops and orientation sessions to 
ensure that students are ramiUar with programs, including 
laboratories and finsincial aid programs, at the bachelor-
degree-granting institution. 
Funds used by eligible partnerships to carry out clauses (i) 
and (ii) shall be from non-Federal sources. In-cash and in-
kind resources used by eligible partnerships to carry out clauses 
(i) and (ii) shall not be considered to be contributions for pur-
poses of applying subsection (f)(3). 
(C) Any institution participating in a partnership that 
receives a grant under this paragraph shall be ineligible to 
receive assistance under part B of title I of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 for the duration of the grant received under 
this paragraph. 
(2) OUTREACH GRANTS.—^The Director shall make grants 
to associate-degree-granting colleges with outstanding mathe-
matics and science programs to strengthen relationships with 
secondary schools in the community served by the college by 
improving mathematics and science education and encouraging 
the interest and aptitude of secondary school students for 
careers in science and advanced-technology fields through such 
means as developing agreements with local educational agen-
cies to enable students to satisfy entrance and course require-
ments at the associate-degree-granting college. 
(d) COORDINATION WITH OTHER FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS.—^In 
canying out this section, the Director shall consult, cooperate, 
and coordinate, to enhance program effectiveness and to avoid 
duplication, with the programs and policies of other relevant Federal 
agencies. In carrying out subsection (c), the Director shall coordinate 
activities with programs receiving assistance under part B of title 
I of the Higher Education Act of 1965. 
(e) LIMITATION ON FUNDING.—TO qualify for a grant under 
this section, an associate-degree-granting college, or consortium 
thereof, shall provide assursuices adequate to the Director that 
it will not decrease its level of spending of funds from non-Federal 
sources on advanced scientific and technical education and training 
programs. 
(f) FUNCTIONS OF THE DIRECTOR.—^In carrying out this Act, 
the Director shall— 
(1) award grants on a competitive, merit basis; 
(2) ensure an equitable geographic distribution of grant 
awards; 
(3) ensure that an apphcant for a grant awarded under 
subsection (a), (b), or (c)(1) will make an in-cash or in-kind 
106 STAT. 2300 
PUBLIC LAW 102-476—OCT. 23, 1992 
contribution in an amount equal to at least 25 percent of 
the cost of the program, and for a grant awarded under sub-
section (c)(2) will make an in-cash or in-kind contribution in 
an amount at least equal to the amount of the grant award; 
(4) establish and maintain a readily accessible inventory 
of the programs assisted under this Act; and 
(5) designate an officer of the National Science Foundation 
to serve as a liaison with associate-degree-granting institutions 
for the purpose of enhancing the role of such institutions in 
the activities of the Foundation. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—^As used in this section— 
(1) the term "advanced-technologjr" includes advanced tech-
nical activities such as the modernization, miniaturization, 
integration, and computerization of electronic, hydraulic, pneu-
matic, laser, nuclear, chemical, telecommunication, fiber optic, 
robotic, and other technological applications to enhance pro-
ductivity improvements in manufacturing, 
communication, 
transportation, commercial, and similar economic and national 
security activities; 
(2) the term "associate-degree-granting college" means an 
institution of higher education (as determined under section 
1201(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1141(a))) 
that— 
(A) is a nonprofit institution that offers a 2-year associ-
ate-degree program or a 2-year certificate program; or 
(B) is a proprietary institution that offers a 2-year 
associate-degree program; 
(3) the term "bachelor-degree-granting institution" means 
an institution of higher education (as determined under section 
1201(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1141(a))) 
that offers a baccalaureate degree program; 
(4) the term "eligible partnership" means one or more asso-
ciate-degree-granting colleges in partne;"ship with one or more 
separate bachelor-degree-granting institutions; and 
(5) the term "local educational agency" has the meaning 
given such term in section 1471(12) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 2891(12)). 
SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATIVE AMENDMENT. 
Section 3 of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 
U.S.C. 1862) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection: 
"(g) In carrying out subsection (a)(4), the Foundation is author-
ized to foster and support access by the research and education 
communities to computer networks which may be used substantially 
for purposes in addition to research and education in the sciences 
and engineering, if the additional uses will tend to increase the 
overgdl capabilities of the networks to support such research and 
education activities.". 
PUBLIC LAW 102-476—OCT. 23, 1992 
106 STAT. 2301 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
42 USC 186?j. 
There are authorized to be appropriated, from sums otherwise 
authorized to be appropriated, to the Director for canying out 
this Act— 
(1) $35,000,000 for fiscal year 1992; and 
(2) $35,000,000 for fiscal year 1993. 
Approved October 23,1992. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1146: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 138 (1992): 
Oct. 2, considered and passed Senate. 
Oct. 3, considered and passed House.