8770.8766.
For purposes of this chapter:(a) “Laureate” means the California Laureate for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics appointed pursuant to this chapter.
(b) “Council” means the California Council on Science and Technology.
(b)
(c) “Office” means the Office of the President of the University of California.
(c)
(d) “STEM” means science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
8771.8766.1.
(a) The position of California Laureate for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics is hereby established within state government.(b) The laureate shall be appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate from a list of three nominees provided by the office council through the following process:
(1) The office council shall establish a selection panel of at least
four experts, one from each STEM field. Each member of the panel shall have demonstrated experience in that member’s respective STEM field. The office council may reselect the panel members from any of the following:
(A) University and college professors.
(B) Elementary and secondary teachers.
(C) Members of public agencies.
(D) Individuals from private industry.
(2) (A) The panel shall
solicit nominations from a broad array of STEM-related sources and individuals, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(i) University and college science, technology, engineering, and mathematics departments.
(ii) Public agencies.
(iii) Scientific organizations, including organizations providing research in STEM fields.
(iv) Professional organizations involved in STEM fields.
(v) Nobel laureates in STEM fields.
(B) The panel shall make every effort to ensure that information regarding the solicitation of nominations is
broadly distributed.
(3) The office council, in collaboration with the office, may establish other rules and regulations regarding the nomination process pursuant to consistent with the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3).
(c) Each nominee for the laureate shall meet the following minimum qualifications:
(1) The nominee has
resided in California for at least one year.
(2) The nominee has contributed significantly to the advancement of the nominee’s STEM field.
(3) The nominee is regarded by the nominee’s colleagues as an excellent communicator.
(4) The nominee is widely considered to be an expert or prominent figure in the nominee’s STEM field.
(d) A laureate appointed pursuant to this section shall serve a term of two years, and may not serve more than two terms.
8773.8766.3.
The laureate shall, as a condition of the appointment, assume the following minimum responsibilities:(a) Organize and provide a minimum of four educational events during the laureate’s two-year term. The laureate shall take all reasonable efforts to ensure that people in all geographic regions of the state have reasonable access to at least one such event during the course of the laureate’s term.
(b) Undertake a specific project that shall last through the
term but whose goal will be to expose the STEM fields to Californians and California students who might otherwise have little opportunity for that exposure. The office council shall approve the specific project proposed by the laureate to ensure compliance with this chapter. The laureate may coordinate their project with any similar project being undertaken by a science or technology laureate at the federal level, if a position of that nature is established.
(c) Any other reasonable activities that further the purposes of this chapter as agreed to mutually by the California Laureate for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics and the office.
council.
8774.8766.4.
The office council may solicit and receive gifts, donations, bequests, grants of funds, or any other revenues, from public or private sources. The office, upon Upon appropriation by the Legislature, may expend
those moneys may be expended to increase the stipend of the California Laureate for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics or for any other purpose it deems necessary to implement this chapter.