§16533 — Title 42 The Public Health and Welfare | U.S. Code

Summary

Creates a program to help colleges strengthen and grow hydrocarbon systems science teaching and to produce more graduates in fields tied to natural gas and petroleum. Hydrocarbon systems science means science about natural gas or other petroleum exploration, development, or production. It includes fields like petroleum and reservoir engineering, environmental geoscience, petrophysics, geophysics, geochemistry, petroleum geology, ocean and environmental engineering, related computer science, and spill response and cleanup. The Secretary will give up to 3 competitive grants each year to schools that start new degree programs. Priority goes to proposals that partner with National Laboratories, including the National Energy Technology Laboratory. New-program grants are judged on ability to attract students, academic quality, and hands-on learning. Grants can last up to 5 years and a school may get up to $1,000,000 per year. Money can be used to hire and keep faculty, build courses, encourage faculty research collaboration, and support student recruitment. The Secretary will also give up to 5 competitive grants each year to schools with existing hydrocarbon degree programs. Those grants are judged on how well they can increase the number and quality of graduates entering related careers. Grants can last up to 5 years and a school may get up to $500,000 per year. Funds may be used to increase graduates entering the field, improve advanced teaching, expand partnerships with industry and National Laboratories (including NETL), support research and training facilities, and provide tuition help and student stipends. Authorized funding for new-program grants is $3,500,000 for FY2008; $6,500,000 for FY2009; $9,500,000 for FY2010; $9,800,000 for FY2011; $10,000,000 for FY2012; and $10,400,000 for FY2013. Authorized funding for existing-program grants is $3,000,000 for FY2008; $5,500,000 for FY2009; and $8,000,000 for FY2010.

Title 42, §16533

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The purposes of this section are—

(1)to address the decline in the number of and resources available to hydrocarbon systems science programs at institutions of higher education; and

(2)to increase the number of graduates with degrees in hydrocarbon systems science, an area of strategic importance to the economic competitiveness and energy security of the United States.

(b)In this section:

(1)The term “hydrocarbon systems science” means a science involving natural gas or other petroleum exploration, development, or production.

(2)The term “hydrocarbon systems science” includes—

(A)petroleum or reservoir engineering;

(B)environmental geoscience;

(C)petrophysics;

(D)geophysics;

(E)geochemistry;

(F)petroleum geology;

(G)ocean engineering;

(H)environmental engineering;

(I)computer science, as computer science relates to a science described in this subsection; and

(J)hydrocarbon spill response and remediation.

(c)The Secretary shall establish, in accordance with this section, a program to expand and enhance institution of higher education hydrocarbon systems science educational capabilities.

(d)(1)The Secretary shall award up to 3 competitive grants for each fiscal year to institutions of higher education that establish new academic degree programs in hydrocarbon systems science.

(2)In evaluating grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to proposals that involve partnerships with the National Laboratories, including the National Energy Technology Laboratory, or other hydrocarbon systems scientific entities, as determined by the Secretary.

(3)Criteria for a grant awarded under this subsection shall be based on—

(A)the potential to attract new students to the program;

(B)academic rigor; and

(C)the ability to offer hands-on learning opportunities.

(4)(A)A grant under this subsection may be up to 5 years in duration.

(B)An institution of higher education that receives a grant under this subsection shall be eligible for up to $1,000,000 for each year of the grant period.

(5)An institution of higher education that receives a grant under this subsection may use the grant to—

(A)recruit and retain new faculty;

(B)develop core and specialized course content;

(C)encourage collaboration between faculty and researchers in the hydrocarbon systems science field; and

(D)support outreach efforts to recruit students.

(e)(1)The Secretary shall award up to 5 competitive grants for each fiscal year to institutions of higher education with existing academic degree programs that produce graduates in hydrocarbon systems science.

(2)Criteria for a grant awarded under this subsection shall be based on the potential for increasing the number and academic quality of graduates in hydrocarbon systems sciences who enter into careers in natural gas and other petroleum exploration, development, and production related fields.

(3)(A)A grant under this subsection may be up to 5 years in duration.

(B)An institution of higher education that receives a grant under this subsection shall be eligible for up to $500,000 for each year of the grant period.

(4)An institution of higher education that receives a grant under this subsection may use the grant to—

(A)increase the number of graduates in the hydrocarbon systems sciences that enter into careers in the natural gas and other petroleum exploration, development, and production science fields;

(B)enhance the teaching of advanced natural gas and other petroleum exploration, development, and production technologies;

(C)aggressively pursue collaboration opportunities with industry and the National Laboratories, including the National Energy Technology Laboratory;

(D)bolster or sustain natural gas and other petroleum exploration, development, and production infrastructure and research facilities of the institution of higher education, such as research and training or laboratories; and

(E)provide tuition assistance and stipends to undergraduate and graduate students.

(f)(1)There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out subsection (d)—

(A)$3,500,000 for fiscal year 2008;

(B)$6,500,000 for fiscal year 2009;

(C)$9,500,000 for fiscal year 2010;

(D)$9,800,000 for fiscal year 2011;

(E)$10,000,000 for fiscal year 2012; and

(F)$10,400,000 for fiscal year 2013.

(2)There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out subsection (e)—

(A)$3,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;

(B)$5,500,000 for fiscal year 2009; and

(C)$8,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2011—Subsec. (b)(2)(J). Pub. L. 111–358, § 902(b)(1), added subpar. (J). Subsec. (f)(1)(D) to (F). Pub. L. 111–358, § 902(b)(2), added subpars. (D) to (F).

§16533 Hydrocarbon Systems Science Talent Expansion Program for Institutions of Higher Education

Summary

Title 42, §16533

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Citations & Metadata