Bill Overview
Title: Leveraging our National Laboratories to Develop Tomorrow’s Technology Leaders Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires the Department of Energy to award grants to maintain a lab-embedded entrepreneurship program that provides entrepreneurial fellows with access to National Laboratory research facilities, expertise, and mentorship.
Sponsors: Sen. Lujan, Ben Ray [D-NM]
Target Audience
Population: Entrepreneurial fellows and associated professionals accessing National Laboratories globally
Estimated Size: 100000
- The program targets entrepreneurial fellows who will work at National Laboratories, so these individuals are directly impacted.
- Researchers and scientific staff at National Laboratories will be involved, which may indirectly affect their work environment and focus.
- Companies or startups founded or led by these entrepreneurial fellows will be impacted as they will potentially gain access to advanced research facilities.
- The technology sector, particularly areas aligned with National Laboratory specialities, may see longer-term impacts from innovations and startups emerging from this program.
- The bill will have a localized impact wherever the National Laboratories are located and primarily on those who have the qualifications and interest to become entrepreneurial fellows.
Reasoning
- The budget limits mean the policy might benefit only a few well-selected entrepreneurial fellows each year.
- Given the specialized nature of the National Laboratories, only a subset of the technology sector (e.g., energy tech, materials science) will directly benefit.
- Improvements in well-being scores for those directly impacted by the program will depend on their success as entrepreneurs within the program.
- Indirect effects on researchers and scientific staff may come from changes in work focus or collaboration opportunities.
- Local economic and social impacts may occur near the National Laboratories due to increased activity related to the fellows' projects.
Simulated Interviews
Entrepreneurial fellow (Berkeley, CA)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm very excited about the opportunity to work at a National Lab. It will provide me with research capabilities I otherwise wouldn't have.
- The mentorship component is crucial for me, as I am new to leading a project.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Entrepreneurial fellow (Los Alamos, NM)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Access to advanced computational resources is a game-changer for my company.
- Funding through this program reduces some of the startup risks I face.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
National Lab researcher (Oak Ridge, TN)
Age: 45 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I welcome the fresh ideas entrepreneurial fellows bring.
- Mentoring these fellows is rewarding but adds more to my workload.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 8 |
Scientific startup founder (Chicago, IL)
Age: 27 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm eager to see if I can enter the National Lab program.
- Such a program could vastly improve my R&D capabilities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
National Lab administrative staff (Denver, CO)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This program is administratively challenging given our budget constraints.
- It's gratifying to see the labs actively fostering new technology leaders.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 7 |
Chemical engineer (Livermore, CA)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The collaboration opportunities are a big draw for me as an engineer.
- Success of fellows can open new industry paths for professionals.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Graduate student (Boston, MA)
Age: 24 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm aiming to participate in such programs post-graduation.
- The possibility of joining a National Lab through this pathway is exciting.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Technology sector veteran (Richland, WA)
Age: 51 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As an advisor, I'm confident the policy will enhance tech transfer from labs to market.
- This can stimulate regional tech economies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Software developer (Albuquerque, NM)
Age: 36 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Access to larger computational resources can vastly improve our AI models.
- This might be a route to significantly advance our current projects.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
National Lab security staff (Chicago, IL)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- More people at the labs means potentially higher security risks.
- However, I see the positive impact on technology growth.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $100000000 (Low: $80000000, High: $120000000)
Year 2: $100000000 (Low: $80000000, High: $120000000)
Year 3: $100000000 (Low: $80000000, High: $120000000)
Year 5: $100000000 (Low: $80000000, High: $120000000)
Year 10: $100000000 (Low: $80000000, High: $120000000)
Year 100: $100000000 (Low: $80000000, High: $120000000)
Key Considerations
- Sustaining the program's quality and effectiveness will necessitate regular evaluation and possible adjustments in resources and strategies.
- Balancing costs with the long-term benefits from innovation and economic growth remains crucial.
- Coordination with existing innovation programs will enhance effectiveness and resource utilization.