§6626 Working Group on Inclusion in Stem Fields

Summary

The Office of Science and Technology Policy must create a working group with other federal agencies to gather and summarize research and good practices on how to increase diversity and inclusion in STEM. The group must also look for barriers to inclusion inside federal agencies that employ scientists and engineers, and focus on including the people named in sections 1885a and 1885b. The group must review policies such as caregiving flexibility for researchers, handling sexual harassment claims, and ways to reduce bias in hiring, promotion, and evaluations, plus other proven strategies. It must get advice from outside groups (advisory councils, universities and researchers, nonprofits, industry including small businesses, research centers, NGOs, and the public). It must publish a report by January 6, 2018 and then report periodically, and the group will end 10 years after it is set up.