Reps. Lamar Smith (R-TX), chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, and Steve Knight (R-CA), vice chairman of the Energy Subcommittee, praised the recent passage of Women in Aerospace Education Act.
The bill, authored by Knight, amends the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002. It instructs the National Science Foundation and NASA to promote internship and fellowship opportunities and the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program to women.
The instructions apply to grants awarded on or after Oct. 1 of this year.
“Women represent half of our total workforce, yet still only represent a minority of workers in the aeronautics and space sectors,” Knight said. “This bill will help engage girls and young women early in their education to promote careers in these cutting-edge and promising industries. I am very happy this important bill has passed the final Congressional hurdle and is a signature away from being law.”
Women represent 15 percent of aerospace engineers and approximately 25 percent of STEM workers.
The legislation promotes diversity and inclusiveness in STEM fields and strengthens the STEM education pipeline by creating opportunities for female teachers to gain experience in aerospace, Smith said.
The bill now heads to the president’s desk for signature.