§1862o–9 Broader Impacts Merit Review Criterion

Summary

The Foundation must count partnerships between college researchers and industry scientists and engineers—especially in areas important to U.S. economic strength like nanotechnology—as valid ways to meet its broader impacts requirement for research proposals. The Director must send Congress a report no later than 1 year after August 9, 2007. The report must say what each Foundation division uses to judge broader impacts; show, by division, the kinds of activities awardees proposed; include any evaluations of whether those activities were done and whether they worked; list which national goals the broader impacts rule best supports (for example, improving undergraduate and K–12 STEM education, boosting university‑industry collaboration, and widening participation by underrepresented groups); and describe steps the Foundation is taking and should take to use broader impacts to improve undergraduate STEM education.