The Secretary is authorized to enter into a contract with a firm with a demonstrated record of success in advertising to implement a campaign to expand the population of qualified individuals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields (referred to in this section as “STEM fields”) by encouraging young Americans to enter such fields.

The campaign under this section shall be designed to enhance the image of education and professions in the STEM fields and promote participation in the STEM fields, and may include—

(1) monitoring trends in youths’ attitudes toward pursuing education and professions in the STEM fields and their propensity toward entering the STEM fields;

(2) determining what factors contribute to encouraging and discouraging Americans from pursuing study in STEM fields and entering the STEM fields professionally;

(3) determining what specific factors limit the participation of groups currently underrepresented in STEM fields, including Latinos, African-Americans, and women; and

(4) drawing from the market research performed under this section and implementing an advertising campaign to encourage young Americans to take up studies in STEM fields, beginning at an early age.

The campaign under this section shall—

(1) include components that focus tailored messages on appropriate age groups, starting with elementary school students; and

(2) link participation in the STEM fields to the concept of service to one’s country, so that young people will be encouraged to enter the STEM fields in order fulfill the obligation to be of service to their country.

The campaign under this section shall hold as a high priority making specific appeals to Hispanic Americans, African Americans, Native Americans, students with disabilities, and women, who are currently underrepresented in the STEM fields, in order to increase their numbers in the STEM fields, and shall tailor recruitment efforts to each specific group.

The campaign under this section shall make use of a variety of media, with an emphasis on television advertising, to reach its intended audience.

The campaign under this section shall include a narrowly focused effort to attract current professionals in the STEM fields, through advertising in mediums likely to reach that specific group, into teaching in a STEM field in elementary schools and secondary schools.

(Pub. L. 89–329, title III, § 356, as added Pub. L. 110–315, title III, § 315(a)(2), Aug. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 3183.)