Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act of 2021

Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act

This bill addresses sexual harassment in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields by supporting research regarding sexual harassment and efforts to prevent and respond to sexual harassment.

This bill directs the National Science Foundation (NSF) to award grants to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations (or their consortia) to

• expand research into the factors contributing to, and consequences of, sexual harassment affecting individuals in the STEM workforce, including students and trainees; and
• examine interventions for reducing the incidence and negative consequences of sexual harassment.

The NSF must convene a working group to gather national data on the prevalence, nature, and implications of such harassment in institutions of higher education.

The NSF shall enter into agreements with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to (1) update a responsible conduct guide issued by the National Academies to include, among other things, evidence-based practices for fostering a climate that is intolerant of sexual harassment; and (2) study the influence of sexual harassment in institutions of higher education on the career advancement of individuals in the STEM workforce.

The National Science and Technology Council shall establish an interagency working group to coordinate the federal science agencies' efforts to reduce the prevalence of sexual harassment involving grant personnel.

The Office of Science and Technology Policy must develop policy guidelines for such agencies to prevent and respond to reports of sexual harassment and gender harassment.