[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 127 (Thursday, July 2, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38176-38177]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-16287]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. chapter 35).
    Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
    Title: Evaluation Support Services.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-xxxx.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular (request for a new information 
collection).
    Number of Respondents: 1,473.
    Average Hours per Response: 25 minutes per recipient survey; 15 
minutes per nonrecipient survey; 60 minutes per community partner, 
institution partner, CSC administrator, and CSC center director 
interview; 90 minutes per student focus group.
    Burden Hours: 599.
    Needs and Uses: This request is for a new information collection.
    Since its establishment in 1970 under the Department of Commerce, 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s primary 
goals are to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, 
to conserve and manage coastal and marine resources, and to serve the 
nation's economic, social, and environmental needs. One of NOAA's staff 
offices, the Office of Education (OEd), also serves a critical function 
as the nation's primary educator on matters related to the ocean, 
coastal resources, the atmosphere, and climate. One of the ways NOAA 
fulfills its national duty is by providing educational resources and 
scholarship opportunities for future scholars.
    The Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program (HUSP) was 
established in 2005; since then, it has provided support to 
approximately 1,144 undergraduate students. This scholarship 
opportunity provides 2 academic years of tuition support (up to $8,000 
per year) and a 10-week paid internship with a NOAA mentor to 
competitive undergraduate scholars in NOAA-related major fields of 
study. The HUSP also provides undergraduates with additional supports 
such as living expenses, travel stipends, and conference allowances. 
The main goals of HUSP include increasing undergraduate training and 
research in NOAA sciences; recruiting and preparing students for 
careers as public servants and environmental science educators; and 
building public understanding of and support for environmental 
stewardship issues (i.e., increasing environmental literacy).
    The Educational Partnership Program (EPP) comprises three unique 
components: the Undergraduate Scholarship Program (USP), the Graduate 
Studies Program (GSP), and four Cooperative Science Centers (CSCs). USP 
is a scholarship opportunity that provides recipients with hands-on 
research and training in NOAA-related sciences and provides scholars 
the opportunity to gain valuable work experience at NOAA facilities. To 
date, USP has funded 175 scholars. GSP is similar, and supported 
(funded 59 students) graduate students interested in pursuing NOAA 
mission-critical fields by providing them with work experience and 
hands-on training in NOAA-related research fields. The CSCs' 
overarching goal is to increase underrepresentation in STEM and

[[Page 38177]]

NOAA-related fields by providing education and training opportunities 
in these fields. Each CSC has a distinct educational focus, defined 
mission, partner institution, and designated research partner. In 
addition to providing education and training opportunities for 
students, CSCs assist their MSI partners in building their 
institutional management, scientific, and research capacities in NOAA-
related fields.
    The proposed evaluation will examine the effectiveness of two of 
NOAA's OEd scholarship programs: EPP and HUSP. It will also assess the 
efficacy of the CSCs, which constitute another educational component 
central to NOAA's educational mission. The primary objective of this 
evaluation is to determine how well NOAA's HUSP and EPP scholarship 
programs translate to measurable outcomes for participants.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Frequency: One time.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    This information collection request may be viewed at reginfo.gov. 
Follow the instructions to view Department of Commerce collections 
currently under review by OMB.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to [email protected] or fax to (202) 395-5806.

    Dated: June 29, 2015.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-16287 Filed 7-1-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P