42 U.S.C. § 19104 — Requirements

Page 9300 TITLE 42—THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE § 19104 not rely on traditional commercialization tools; and (C) establishing partnerships that connect researchers and research products to busi- nesses, accelerators, and incubators that en- able research uptake, prototype develop- ment and scaling, entrepreneurial education, and the formation and growth of new compa- nies; (3) develop mutually-beneficial research and technology development partnerships and col- laborations among institutions of higher edu- cation, including historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal Colleges or Univer- sities, minority-serving institutions, emerging research institutions, EPSCoR institutions, and nonprofit organizations, labor organiza- tions, businesses and other for-profit entities, Federal or State agencies, local or Tribal gov- ernments, civil society organizations, other Foundation directorates, national labs, field stations and marine laboratories, and, as ap- propriate, international entities and bina- tional research and development foundations and funds, excluding foreign entities of con- cern; (4) partner with other directorates and of- fices of the Foundation for specific projects or research areas including— (A) to pursue basic questions about nat- ural, human, and physical phenomena that could enable advances in the challenges and key technology focus areas under section 19107 of this title; (B) to study questions that could affect the design (including human interfaces), safety, security, operation, deployment, or the so- cial and ethical consequences of tech- nologies and innovations in the challenges and key technology focus areas under sec- tion 19107 of this title, including the develop- ment of technologies and innovations that complement or enhance the abilities of workers and impact of specific innovations on domestic jobs and equitable opportunity; and (C) to further the creation of a domestic workforce capable of advancing, using, and adapting to the key technology focus areas; (5) build capacity and infrastructure for use- inspired and translational research at institu- tions of higher education across the United States, including by making awards to support administrative activities that advance devel- opment, operation, integration, deployment, and sharing of innovation; (6) support the education, mentoring, and training of undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers, to both advance use-inspired and translational research and to address workforce challenges, through scholarships, fellowships, and traineeships; and (7) identify social, behavioral, and economic drivers and consequences of technological in- novations that could enable advances in the challenges and key technology focus areas under section 19107 of this title. (Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title III, § 10383, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1576.) § 19104. Requirements In carrying out the activities under the Direc- torate, the Director shall ensure the pro- grammatic work of the Directorate and Founda- tion— (1) utilizes the full potential of the United States workforce by avoiding undue geo- graphic concentration of research and develop- ment and education funding across the United States, and encourages broader participation in the key technology focus area workforce by populations historically underrepresented in STEM; and (2) incorporates a worker perspective through participation by labor organizations and workforce training organizations. (Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title III, § 10384, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1577.) § 19105. Assistant Director (a) In general The Director shall appoint an Assistant Direc- tor responsible for the management of the Di- rectorate established under this part, in the same manner as other Assistant Directors of the Foundation are appointed. (b) Qualifications The Assistant Director shall be an individual, who by reason of professional background and experience, is specially qualified to— (1) advise the Director on all matters per- taining to use-inspired and translational re- search, development, and commercialization at the Foundation, including partnership with the private sector and other users of Founda- tion funded research; and (2) develop and implement the necessary policies and procedures to promote a culture of use-inspired and translational research within the Directorate and across the Founda- tion and carry out the responsibilities under subsection (c). (c) Responsibilities The responsibilities of the Assistant Director shall include— (1) advising the Director on all matters per- taining to use-inspired and translational re- search and development activities at the Foundation, including effective practices for convergence research, and the potential im- pact of Foundation research on United States societal, national and geostrategic challenges; (2) identifying opportunities for and facili- tating coordination and collaboration, where appropriate, on use-inspired and translational research, development, adoption, and commer- cialization— (A) among the offices, directorates, and di- visions within the Foundation; and (B) between the Foundation and stake- holders in academia, the private sector, in- cluding non-profit entities, labor organiza- tions, Federal or State agencies, and inter- national entities, as appropriate; (3) ensuring that the activities carried out under this part do not substantially and un- necessarily duplicate activities supported by other parts of the Foundation or other rel- evant Federal agencies;