STEMU.S. Needs New Strategy to Recruit and Retain STEM Talent: Report

The United States should adopt a whole-of-government strategy to recruit and retain talent in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, according to a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The committee that wrote the report examined programs that recruit and retain international STEM talent in the United States and abroad and made recommendations to the U.S. government, universities, and civil society.

Because foreign-born talent makes up a significant portion of the STEM workforce in the U.S., it is of critical importance to fostering and sustaining innovation, economic competitiveness, and national security. Historically, the U.S. has been the preeminent destination for international STEM talent, but the report finds that rising global competition from adversaries and traditional partners, complex processes and polarized discourse around immigration, and the lack of an overarching talent strategy pose challenges to maintaining the country’s attractiveness to international talent and global leadership in STEM writ large.

The U.S. is also missing opportunities to develop domestic STEM talent at all points along the educational and career pipeline, from K-12 through advanced degrees, the report says.

“U.S. global leadership in science, engineering, and technology relies on our ability to educate, attract, and keep the best and brightest students and scholars,” said Mark A. Barteau, Charles D. Holland ’53 Chair in the department of chemical engineering at Texas A&M University and chair of the committee that wrote the National Academies’ report. “The government should take steps now to ensure the U.S. continues to be a magnet for STEM talent from around the world.”

The report recommends various actions for multiple branches and levels of government as part of a whole-of-government talent strategy.

It urges Congress to simplify and streamline the pathway to permanent residency and citizenship for qualified foreign-born STEM talent and STEM graduates of U.S. institutions and to authorize additional green cards and reduce barriers that limit the number of foreign-born individuals working in STEM fields who can come to or stay in the U.S.

In addition, the report advises federal, state, local, and Tribal governments to develop proactive approaches to develop domestic STEM talent, which must be recognized as a critical component of the national security innovation base. It also recommends that Congress pass legislation modeled on the National Defense Act of 1958 to ensure domestic innovation capacity.

To address concerns that arise from having foreign-born researchers involved in areas critical to U.S. national security, federal funding agencies should prioritize transparency in international research collaborations and assess risks on a case-by-case basis rather than using broad categorizations, the report recommends.

The report points to the U.S. Department of Justice’s former China Initiative and the chilling effects it has had on researchers of Chinese descent and their engagement in U.S. STEM as well as on the perception of the United States as an attractive and welcoming place for people of all races and ethnicities. Measures should be taken to address lingering concerns and ensure that any programs intended to protect national security do not target or inadvertently discriminate against people on the basis of national origin or ethnicity.

The report also recommends that the U.S. government should:

·  Work with universities, industry, national laboratories, and the broader scientific community to advance robust international research collaborations and talent flows of international students and ideas while advancing principles of openness, transparency, and research security and integrity.

·  Continue to develop guidance and training on research security, research integrity, and international research collaborations.

·  Ensure that steps taken to increase research security and mitigate risks do not restrict or unduly inhibit international collaborations involving fundamental research.

·  Build on its relationships with trusted allies to develop stronger collaborative partnerships to ensure continued international talent capacity in areas of shared strategic interest.

·  Use all existing authorities to retain foreign-born STEM experts who are already in the U.S., including allowing experts working in fields vital to the national interest to apply for permanent residency.

·  Support universities, foundations, and industry in forging strong international research partnerships and educational programs with low- and middle-income countries and countries in the Global South to promote the development and flow of global talent and the robust exchange of ideas.

·  Develop a public-facing dashboard that collects and aggregates information and showcases important metrics on international talent.

The study, undertaken by the Committee on International Talent Programs in the Changing Global Environment, was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense.