§ 7381b. Laboratory cooperative science centers and other authorized education activities
(a)
Activities
The Secretary is authorized to:
(1)
Support research appointments for college and university science and engineering students, and for faculty-student teams, at Department research and development facilities.
(2)
Support research appointments for high school science teachers at Department research and development facilities.
(3)
Support research apprenticeship appointments at Department research and development facilities for students underrepresented in science and technology careers.
(4)
Support research experience programs at Department research and development facilities for nationally selected high school honor students.
(5)
Operate mathematics and science education programs for elementary and secondary students at Department research and development facilities.
(7)
Establish collaborative inner-city and rural partnership programs designed to meet the special mathematics and science education needs of students in inner-city and rural areas.
(8)
Provide paid administrative leave for employees of the Department or Department research and development facilities who volunteer to interact with schools, colleges, universities, teachers, or students for the purpose of science, mathematics, and engineering education.
(9)
Establish a talent pool of volunteer scientists, mathematicians, and engineers who have retired from the Department or Department research and development facilities to serve at schools and school districts for the purpose of
(A)
assisting teachers, with activities such as experiments, lectures, or the preparation of materials;
(C)
otherwise assisting science, mathematics, and engineering classes. The Secretary, acting through Department research and development facilities, shall, wherever possible, identify and match schools and school districts with retired scientists, mathematicians, and engineers.
(10)
Establish a Young Americans’ Summer Science Camp Program to provide secondary school students with a hands-on science experience as well as exposure to working scientists and career counseling.
(11)
Establish a program for mathematics and science teachers to provide teachers serving large numbers of disadvantaged students with new strategies for mathematics and science instruction.
(12)
Support graduate students and, through university-based cooperative programs, undergraduate students for the purpose of encouraging more students to pursue scientific and technical careers, with a particular focus on the recruitment of women and minority students.
(13)
Establish a prefreshman enrichment program in which middle-school students attend summer workshops on mathematics, science, and engineering conducted by universities on their campuses.
(14)
Support competitive events for students under the supervision of teachers, designed to encourage student interest and knowledge in science and mathematics.
(15)
Support competitively-awarded, peer-reviewed programs to promote professional development for mathematics teachers and science teachers who teach in grades from kindergarten through grade 12 at Department research and development facilities.
(b)
Use of facilities
Any of the activities authorized by subsection (a) of this section may be conducted through Department research and development facilities. The Secretary may designate facilities conducting such education activities as “Laboratory Cooperative Science Centers”.
(c)
Funding
The Secretary is authorized to accept non-Federal funds to finance education activities described in subsection (a) of this section.