An ad hoc committee will explore the effectiveness of selected higher education institutions in educating STEM-trained workers in response to regional workforce needs and identify effective practices in achieving this. In this context, effectiveness will be judged, in part, on the number of STEM graduates and the extent to which these individuals graduate from educational programs with degrees that address local STEM workforce needs. The committee will conduct a series of regional meetings, commission work to analyze data on STEM degree production, convene a concluding workshop, and produce a report that compiles insights from all these sources to address the following questions:

1. What data and measurements are available to assess the effectiveness of higher education institutions in educating STEM-trained workers in response to regional labor market needs, and what do such measurements say about differences in effectiveness across regions?

2. To what extent can regional profiles be created that link STEM educational resources and postsecondary degree pathways with workforce needs, including retraining of professionals in order to meet current, in-demand needs in STEM fields? Is there sufficient resolution in the data to specify regional STEM degree needs by discipline or degree level?

3. What practices and policies are educational institutions adopting to respond to local industry STEM workforce needs, both individually and as part of regional coalitions, and which effective practices and policies are replicable and scalable? What barriers, if any, exist that inhibit educational institutions from meeting regional STEM workforce needs?

4. What further actions are needed to assist higher education institutions, industry, and state or federal policymakers in fostering improved linkages between higher education resources and STEM workforce needs at the regional level?

While the main focus of the study will be on four-year STEM degrees, the role of community colleges and graduate institutions in meeting regional STEM workforce needs and transitions between institutions will also be examined.