Jenniffer Gonzalez Advocates Access of Minorities in the Field of Science

Statement

The resident commissioner, Jenniffer González Colón, defended the access of minorities to the field of sciences, during her message today in the Chamber of Representatives Chamber when she defended HR 2528, the STEM Opportunities Law (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

The legislation was presented by the president of the Committee on Science, Space and Technology, Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Republican spokesman Frank Lucas (R-OK) and of which the commission is co-author.

"HR 2528 helps ensure that the STEM community is diverse and representative of women, minorities, rural students, students with disabilities and other underrepresented groups. Puerto Rico has a strong STEM academic and professional sector, I graduated from a STEM school myself. We have notable STEM students and researchers who are committed to their communities and are ready to contribute to their fields by producing innovative work for the benefit of the island and the nation, "said the resident commissioner.

Specifically, the bill requires the Office of Scientific and Technological Policy to develop best practices on how to support STEM researchers, how to reduce prejudices in the review processes of funding proposals and how to better identify barriers cultural and institutional in scientific agencies and federal laboratories.

It also requires federal scientific agencies to collect demographic information on grant proposals, awards and faculty, and orders the National Science Foundation to support research and dissemination of best practices to increase recruitment, retention and advancement of underrepresented groups in STEM programs and research careers.

This month, the commissioner who is the Republican co-president of the Women's Caucus hosted an information session to promote and publicize the Artemisa lunar exploration program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) whose purpose includes sending the first woman and the next man to the moon.

In Puerto Rico, he created the STEM Task Force to promote from the Congress the sciences in Puerto Rico which will continue working on issues such as the promotion of science education, environmental issues, astronomy, climate change issues, energy, among others.

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