§ 16536. Protecting America’s Competitive Edge (PACE) graduate fellowship program

• (a) In this section, the term “eligible student” means a student who attends an institution of higher education that offers a doctoral degree in a field relevant to a mission area of the Department.
• (b) The Secretary shall establish a graduate fellowship program for eligible students pursuing a doctoral degree in a mission area of the Department.
• (c)
  • (1) The Secretary shall award fellowships to eligible students under this section through a competitive merit review process, involving written and oral interviews, that will result in a wide distribution of awards throughout the United States, as determined by the Secretary.
  • (2) The Secretary shall establish selection criteria for awarding fellowships under this section that require an eligible student—
    • (A) to pursue a field of science or engineering of importance to a mission area of the Department;
    • (B) to demonstrate to the Secretary—
      • (i) the capacity of the eligible student to understand technical topics relating to the fellowship that can be derived from the first principles of the technical topics;
      • (ii) imagination and creativity;
      • (iii) leadership skills in organizations or intellectual endeavors, demonstrated through awards and past experience; and
      • (iv) excellent verbal and communication skills to explain, defend, and demonstrate an understanding of technical subjects relating to the fellowship; and
    • (C) to be a citizen or legal permanent resident of the United States.
• (d)
  • (1) A fellowship awarded under this section shall—
    • (A) provide an annual living stipend; and
    • (B) cover—
      • (i) graduate tuition at an institution of higher education described in subsection (a); and
      • (ii) incidental expenses associated with curricula and research at the institution of higher education (including books, computers, and software).
  • (2) A fellowship awarded under this section shall be up to 3 years duration within a 5-year period.
  • (3) A fellowship awarded under this section shall be portable with the eligible student.
• (e) The Secretary, acting through the Director of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Education—
  • (1) shall administer the program established under this section; and
  • (2) may enter into a contract with a nonprofit entity to administer the program, including the selection and award of fellowships.
• (f) There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section—
  • (1) $7,500,000 for fiscal year 2008;
  • (2) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, including nonexpiring fellowships for the preceding fiscal year;
  • (3) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, including nonexpiring fellowships for preceding fiscal years;
  • (4) $20,600,000 for fiscal year 2011;
  • (5) $21,200,000 for fiscal year 2012; and
  • (6) $21,900,000 for fiscal year 2013.