(a) Establishment

The Secretary of Commerce shall establish and administer through the National Ocean Service the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program. Under the program, the Secretary shall award graduate education scholarships in marine biology, oceanography, or maritime archaeology, including the curation, preservation, and display of maritime artifacts, to be known as “Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarships”.

(b) Purpose

Terms Used In 16 USC 1445c-1

  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • individual: shall include every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development. See 1 USC 8
  • Secretary: means the Secretary of Commerce. See 16 USC 1432

The purpose of the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program is to recognize outstanding scholarship in marine biology, oceanography, or maritime archaeology, particularly by women and members of minority groups, and encourage independent graduate level research in such fields of study.

(c) Award

Each Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship award—

(1) shall be used to support a candidate’s graduate studies in marine biology, oceanography, or maritime archaeology at a sponsoring institution; and

(2) shall be made available to individual candidates in accordance with guidelines issued by the Secretary.

(d) Distribution of funds

The amount of each Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship shall be provided directly to each recipient selected by the Secretary upon receipt of certification that the recipient will adhere to a specific and detailed plan of study and research approved by the sponsoring institution.

(e) Funding

The Secretary shall make 1 percent of the amount appropriated each fiscal year to carry out the National Marine Sanctuaries Act [16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.] available for Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarships.

(f) Scholarship repayment requirement

Repayment of the award shall be made to the Secretary in the case of fraud or noncompliance.