BEST Director, Alice M. Agogino, was interviewed by CBS for a news segment about two bills that were signed by President Donald Trump on February 28, 2017: authorizing the National Science Foundation (NSF) and NASA to use existing programs and resources to recruit women. According to CNET and The Scientist: After signing both bills, Trump announced that these sorts of policies will be priorities for the White House, moving forward. “That’s really going to be addressed by my administration over the years with more and more of these bills coming out and address the barriers faced by female entrepreneurs and by those in STEM fields,” he said, according to CNET. More on the press release by the Committee on Science, Space and Technology.
In this article, Agogino emphasizes the need to put action and funds behind the words and intent of the bills. She emphasizes the need for mentorship and leadership as well.