FY2021 NDAA, Division A, Title II, Section 249 ("Part-time and term employment of university faculty and students in the Defense science and technology enterprise")

Summary

Instructs the Secretary of Defense to establish a program to offer Defense science and technology employment opportunities to selected faculty and students of higher education institutions to carry out research projects.

Specifies that no fewer than five positions must be given to faculty who conduct research in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Requires the Secretary to carry out the program within 180 days of enactment and submit three annual reports of program results to Congress.

Requires the Secretary of Defense to establish part-time and term employment for university faculty and students.

SEC. 249. PART-TIME AND TERM EMPLOYMENT OF UNIVERSITY FACULTY AND STUDENTS IN THE DEFENSE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ENTERPRISE.

(a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days after the Deadline. date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a program under which opportunities for part-time and term employment are made available in the Defense science and technology enterprise for faculty and students of institutions of higher education for the purpose of enabling such faculty and students to carry out research projects in accordance with subsection (b).

Requires faculty to conduct STEM research aligning with Department of Defense objectives; involves student assistance.

(b) RESEARCH PROJECTS.— (1) FACULTY.—A faculty member who is employed in position made available under subsection (a) shall, in the course of such employment, carry out a research project that— (A) relates to a topic in the field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics; and (B) contributes to the objectives of the Department of Defense, as determined by the Secretary of Defense. (2) STUDENTS.—A student employed in position made available under subsection (a) shall assist a faculty member with a research project described in paragraph (1).

"Requires selection of participants based on credentials and contributions; establishes AI-focused faculty positions."

(c) SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS.—The Secretary of Defense, acting through the heads of participating organizations in the Defense science and technology enterprise, shall select individuals for participation in the program under subsection (a) as follows: (1) Faculty members shall be selected for participation on the basis of— (A) the academic credentials and research experience of the faculty member; and (B) the extent to which the research proposed to be carried out by the faculty member will contribute to the objectives of the Department of Defense. (2) Students shall be selected to assist with a research project under the program on the basis of— (A) the academic credentials and other qualifications of the student; and (B) the student’s ability to fulfill the responsibilities assigned to the student as part of the project.

(d) MINIMUM NUMBER OF POSITIONS.— (1) IN GENERAL.—During the first year of the program under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall establish not fewer than 10 part-time or term positions for faculty. (2) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING.— Of the positions established under paragraph (1), not fewer than five such positions shall be reserved for faculty who will conduct research in the area of artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Allows the Secretary of Defense to use hiring authorities, enter agreements, and pay referral bonuses.

(e) AUTHORITIES.—In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense, or the head of an organization in the Defense science and technology enterprise, as applicable, may— (1) use any hiring authority available to the Secretary or the head of such organization, including— (A) any hiring authority available under a laboratory demonstration program, including the hiring authority provided under section 2358a of title 10, United States Code; (B) direct hiring authority under section 1599h of title 10, United States Code; and (C) expert hiring authority under section 3109 of title 5, United States Code; (2) enter into cooperative research and development agreements under section 12 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3710a) to enable the sharing of research and expertise with institutions of higher education and the private sector; and (3) pay referral bonuses to faculty or students participating in the program who identify— (A) students to assist in a research project under the program; or (B) students or recent graduates to participate in other programs in the Defense science and technology enterprise, including internships at Department of Defense laboratories and in the Pathways Program of the Department.

Requires the Secretary of Defense to submit annual reports on program status and progress to Congress.

(f) ANNUAL REPORTS.— (1) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after the conclusion of the first year of the program under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the status of the program. The report shall include— (A) identification of the number of faculty and students employed under the program; (B) identification of the organizations in the Defense science and technology enterprise that employed such individuals; and (C) a description of the types of research conducted by such individuals. (2) SUBSEQUENT REPORTS.—Not later than 30 days after the conclusion of the second and third years of the program under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the progress of the program. Each report shall include— (A) the information described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of paragraph (1); (B) the results of any research projects conducted under the program; and (C) the number of students and recent graduates who, pursuant to a reference from a faculty member or student participating in the program as described in subsection (e)(3), were hired by the Department of Defense or selected for participation in another program in the Defense science and technology enterprise.

Defines "Defense science and technology enterprise" and "faculty" in relation to defense research and education.

(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: (1) The term ‘‘Defense science and technology enterprise’’ means— (A) the research organizations of the military departments; (B) the science and technology reinvention laboratories (as designated under section 1105 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111– 84; 10 U.S.C. 2358 note)); (C) the facilities of the Major Range and Test Facility Base (as defined in section 2358a(f)(3) of title 10, United States Code); and (D) the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. (2) The term ‘‘faculty’’ means an individual who serves as a professor, researcher, or instructor at an institution of higher education. (3) The term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the meaning given that term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).