116 STAT. 3042 PUBLIC LAW 107-368—DEC. 19, 2002 (4) INNOVATION PARTNERSHIPS. —An innovation partnerships program to support competitive, merit-reviewed proposals that seek to stimulate innovation at the regional level through new partnerships involving States, regional governmental entities, local governmental entities, industry, academic institutions, and other related organizations in strategically important fields of science and technology. (5) MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS.— The mathematics and science education partnerships program described in section 9. (6) ROBERT NOYCE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. —The Robert Noyce Scholarship Program described in section 10. (7) SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, ENGINEERING, AND TECHNOLOGY TALENT EXPANSION PROGRAM.^A) A program of competitive, merit-based, multi-year grants for eligible applicants to increase the number of students studying toward and completing associate's or bachelor's degrees in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology, particularly in fields that have faced declining enrollment in recent years. (B) In selecting projects under this paragraph, the Director shall strive to increase the number of students studying toward and completing baccalaureate degrees, concentrations, or certificates in science, mathematics, engineering, or technology who are individuals identified in section 33 or 34 of the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b). (C) The types of projects the Foundation may support under this paragraph include those that promote high quality— (i) interdisciplinary teaching; (ii) undergraduate-conducted research; (iii) mentor relationships for students; (iv) bridge programs that enable students at community colleges to matriculate directly into baccalaureate science, mathematics, engineering, or technology programs; (v) internships carried out in partnership with industry; and (vi) innovative uses of digital technologies, particularly at institutions of higher education that serve high numbers or percentages of economically disadvantaged students. (D)(i) In order to receive a grant under this paragraph, an eligible applicant shall establish targets to increase the number of students studying toward and completing associate's or bachelor's degrees in science, mathematics, engineering, or technology. (ii) A grant under this paragraph shall be awarded for a period of 5 years, with the final 2 years of funding contingent on the Director's determination that satisfactory progress has been made by the grantee toward meeting the targets established under clause (i). (iii) In the case of community colleges, a student who transfers to a baccalaureate program, or receives a certificate under an established certificate program, in science, mathematics, engineering, or technology shall be counted toward meeting a target established under clause (i). (E) For each grant awarded under this paragraph to an institution of higher education, at least 1 principal investigator
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