A Plan to Promote
Defense Research at
Minority-Serving
Institutions

______

Andrea Christelle, Erin Lynch, and
André N. Porter, Editors

Committee on the Development of
a Plan to Promote Defense Research
at Historically Black Colleges and
Universities, Tribal Colleges and
Universities, Hispanic-Serving
Institutions, and Other
Minority-Serving Institutions

Board on Higher Education
and Workforce

Policy and Global Affairs

Consensus Study Report

NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001

This activity was supported by a contract between the National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. Department of Defense. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization or agency that provided support for the project.

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-72206-3
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-72206-3
Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.17226/27838
Library of Congress Control Number: 2024946770

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Suggested citation: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2024. A Plan to Promote Defense Research at Minority-Serving Institutions. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/27838.¹

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¹ This title was modified after release of the report to the study sponsor to more accurately represent the original congressional intent.

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COMMITTEE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PLAN TO PROMOTE DEFENSE RESEARCH AT HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, TRIBAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTIONS, AND OTHER MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS

ANDREA CHRISTELLE (Co-Chair), Vice Provost of Research, Diné College

ERIN LYNCH (Co-Chair), President, The Quality Education for Minorities Network

NADYA T. BLISS, Executive Director and Professor of Practice, Global Security Initiative, Arizona State University

ROBERT D. BRAUN (NAE), Head, Space Exploration, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory

BRIAN K. CHAPPELL, Research Staff Member, Nuclear Weapons Strategy and Policy, Institute for Defense Analyses

PAUL T. DEADERICK, Senior Project Leader, The Aerospace Corporation

BRUCE H. DUNSON, President, Metrica, Inc.

ERICK C. JONES, Former Dean, College of Engineering and Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno

KEITH A. McGEE, Associate Professor, Biology, Alcorn State University

ERIC R. MUTH, Vice Chancellor, Division of Research and Economic Development, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

ANNA M. QUIDER, Founder and Principal, The Quider Group

AARON M. SCHUTT, President/CEO, Doyon, Limited

SHARON TETTEGAH, Professor and Director, Center for Black Studies Research, University of California, Santa Barbara (until March 27, 2024)

C. REYNOLD VERRET, President, Xavier University of Louisiana

Study Staff

ANDRÉ N. PORTER, Study Director and Senior Program Officer, Board on Higher Education and Workforce

MARIA LUND DAHLBERG, Board Director, Board on Higher Education and Workforce

JOHN VERAS, Associate Program Officer, Board on Higher Education and Workforce

ANDREA DALAGAN, Senior Program Assistant, Board on Higher Education and Workforce

JUSTIN WANG, Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellow, Board on Higher Education and Workforce

CLARA HARVEY-SAVAGE, Senior Finance Business Partner, Policy and Global Affairs

CYRIL LEE, Finance Business Partner, Policy and Global Affairs

Consultants

PAULA T. WHITACRE, Writer

RUBY (RUISHAN) ZHANG, Research Assistant and Ph.D. Candidate, Harvard University

BOARD ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE

MARIELENA DeSANCTIS (Co-Chair), President, Community College of Denver

LAMONT R. TERRELL (Co-Chair), Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Lead, GSK

RAJEEV DAROLIA, Wendell H. Ford Professorship in Public Policy and Professor of Public Policy and Economics, University of Kentucky

JOAN FERRINI-MUNDY, President, University of Maine and University of Maine at Machias; Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, University of Maine System

MATTHEW HORA, Associate Professor of Adult and Higher Education and Founding Director, Center for Research on College-Workforce Transitions, University of Wisconsin–Madison

BRANDY HUDERSON, Assistant Professor of Biology, University of the District of Columbia; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant and Data Analyst, Avent Diversity Consulting

TASHA R. INNISS, Associate Provost for Research, Office of Research, Innovation, and Collaboration, Spelman College

TRACIE LATTIMORE, Executive Director, Health Readiness Policy & Oversight, Office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense

HIRONAO OKAHANA, Assistant Vice President and Executive Director, Education Futures Lab, American Council on Education

JOERG C. SCHLATTERER, Director, Scientific Advancement, Office of Research Grants, American Chemical Society

KATE E. STOLL, Project Director, Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues, American Association for the Advancement of Science

MEGHNA TARE, Chief Sustainability Officer, University of Texas at Arlington

ZAKIYA WILSON-KENNEDY, Ron and Dr. Mary Neal Distinguished Associate Professor of Chemistry Education and Associate Dean for Academic Innovation and Engagement, College of Science, Louisiana State University

JOSH WYNER, Executive Director, Aspen Institute College Excellence Program; Vice President, Aspen Institute

Staff

MARIA LUND DAHLBERG, Director

ANDREA DALAGAN, Senior Program Assistant

ANDRÉ N. PORTER, Senior Program Officer

KARLA RILEY, Senior Program Assistant

JOHN VERAS, Associate Program Officer

MELISSA E. WYNN, Program Officer

Reviewers

This Consensus Study Report was reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in making each published report as sound as possible and to ensure that it meets the institutional standards for quality, objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process.

We thank the following individuals for their review of this report:

Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations of this report, nor did they see the final draft before its

release. The review of this report was overseen by EDWARD LAZOWSKA, University of Washington, and LESTER LYLES, Independent Consultant. They were responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with the standards of the National Academies and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content rests entirely with the authoring committee and the National Academies.

Contents

PREFACE

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

SUMMARY

1 INTRODUCTION

2 GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT WITH MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS: HISTORY AND COMMON THEMES FROM PREVIOUS REPORTS

3 OUTLINING OPPORTUNITIES AT MSIs: AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CAPABILITIES OF MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS

4 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND OTHER FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

5 SETTING A PATH FORWARD FOR ASSESSMENT AND DECISION-MAKING

6 CONCLUSION

APPENDIXES

A Public Meeting Agendas

B Committee Biographical Sketches

C Section 233 of Relevant NDAA Legislation

Boxes, Figures, and Tables

BOXES

1-1 Statement of Task

1-2 Minority Institutions and Minority-Serving Institutions

2-1 National Academies’ Reports on Minority Participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics and Department of Defense Research

FIGURES

3-1 Engagement with DOD, as reported by RFI respondents

4-1 2021-2023 DOD S&T funding

4-2 U.S. distribution of UARCs

4-3 U.S. distribution of FFRDCs

5-1 F&A disparities between R1 and non-R1 MSIs

5-2 Four-part roadmap to create a data-driven dashboard

5-3 Back-end database

5-4 Front-end interface

TABLES

3-1 HSIs’ R&D Expenditures

3-2 Federal Obligations for S&E Funding by Institution (FY2021)

3-3 Summary Statistics of MSI Distance to R1 and R2 Universities

4-1 Analysis of Five Randomly Selected DOD RFPs/FOAs

4-2 Comparison of Proposal Requirements for Two DOD RFPs/FOAs

4-3 DOD University Affiliated Research Centers

4-4 DOD Federally Funded Research and Development Centers

5-1 Sources of Data Related to MSI R&D Expenditures

Preface

In recent years, the landscape of higher education has witnessed a growing recognition of the vital role played by minority-serving institutions (MSIs) in shaping the nation’s academic, research, and innovation ecosystems. Institutions designated as Minority-Serving represent 25 percent of all colleges and universities in the United States¹ and 37 percent of all public colleges and universities in the country. Predicted shifts in the national demographics suggest the potential for more MSIs emerging, making their access to and engagement in the national research and development (R&D) ecosystem critically important to the national economy, innovation development, and national security. While our free society is threatened by increasingly capable global adversaries, to support the Department of Defense (DOD) mission, it becomes imperative to engage and explore a wider range of institutions and human capital to develop complex solutions to defeat the threat. This volume delves into four key aspects of government engagement with MSIs and their impact on research, development in context of the capabilities of these institutions, and decision-making processes that contribute to a path forward for these organizations.

Foundationally, this report presents an assessment for MSIs but acknowledges the historic differences in asset access for different types of MSIs. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), per Department of Education guidelines, are the only type of college and university

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¹ This excludes Carnegie Classified Special Focus Two-Year Schools.

not expected to increase in numbers based on demographic shift.² Also, as defined by the Higher Education Act of 1965, the Tribal Colleges and Universities designation is predicated on enrollment numbers and tribal affiliation. Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and Predominately Black Institutions are the only MSI classifications without explicit definitions related to the year of establishment or cultural affiliation. As such this study recognizes the historic under-resourcing of MSIs (McCambly and Colyvas, 2022) in context of those institutions historically founded as institutions for the education of racial and ethnic minority groups and those that have evolved into institutions educating racial and ethnic minorities based on enrollment shifts. This study speaks to the contextual differences in relation to DOD’s response to support the variety of MSIs through six sections.

MSIs, like all our nation’s universities, contribute significantly to society in many ways, including advancing knowledge, educating our population, and serving the public good. The committee’s statement of task focuses narrowly on assessing the way MSIs can and do contribute to DOD research. It is important to point out that there is not a one-size-fits-all answer to this question nor does the committee assume that all MSIs should contribute to DOD research. As such, the degree to which the committee’s findings and recommendations apply to each MSI is a function of the strategic interest of that institution in DOD research.

Chapter 2, “Government Engagement with Minority-Serving Institutions: History and Common Themes from Previous Reports,” serves as a foundational exploration of the historic interactions between government entities and MSIs. By examining past reports and initiatives, this chapter illuminates common themes, challenges, and successes in government-MSI relationships, providing essential context for understanding the current landscape. Recommendations for this study related to the findings of this chapter are grounded in the concept of relationship building on the part of DOD and MSIs interested in conducting research to support the DOD mission.

Chapter 3, “Outlining Opportunities at MSIs: An Assessment of the Capabilities of Minority-Serving Institutions,” provides a comprehensive assessment of the capabilities and potential of MSIs. Through a systematic examination of MSI resources, expertise, and infrastructure, this chapter aims to highlight the unique strengths and opportunities that MSIs offer in

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² HBCUs had to be established before 1964 according to the Higher Education Act of 1965.

advancing research, innovation, and workforce development across diverse DOD-related fields. Recommendations for this study related to Chapter 3 findings are grounded in the qualitative evidence that emerged through public meetings and literature.

Chapter 4, “Department of Defense and Other Federal Support for Research and Development,” delves into the critical role played by federal agencies, particularly the DOD, in supporting R&D activities at MSIs. By analyzing existing programs, funding mechanisms, and collaborative initiatives, this chapter elucidates the ways in which federal support catalyzes innovation and knowledge creation within the MSI community. Recommendations specific to Chapter 4 are grounded in the committee’s research and analysis of currently available data.

Finally, Chapter 5, “Setting a Path Forward for Assessment and Decision-Making,” outlines strategies and frameworks for enhancing assessment practices and decision-making processes related to government engagement with MSIs. By synthesizing insights from previous chapters and drawing on best practices from diverse stakeholders, this chapter proposes actionable recommendations for policymakers, institutional leaders, and stakeholders to foster more effective partnerships and outcomes. Recommendations are drawn from the learnings across all chapters and are framed in a manner that could be actionable for DOD and MSIs.

As we navigate the complexities and opportunities inherent in government-MSI collaborations, this volume seeks to inform and inspire dialogue, action, and innovation. By harnessing the collective wisdom and expertise of scholars, policymakers, practitioners, and MSI stakeholders, we aim to advance a shared vision of inclusive excellence and transformative impact in higher education, national security, innovation, and the prosperity of the nation.

Andrea Christelle and Erin Lynch, Co-Chairs
Committee on the Development of a Plan to Promote Defense Research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and Other Minority-Serving Institutions

REFERENCE

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Acronyms and Abbreviations

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