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Lawmakers propose shortening degree paths to grow U.S.-born PhDs
Summary
Senator Warner and others urged incentives to shorten time-to-degree — including a suggested 7-year combined track — to increase U.S.-born participation in science and engineering careers and bolster the talent pipeline for Genesis and AI-era research.
Senator Warner described a proposal, borrowed from the Genesis team, to accelerate the education pipeline with an option that would shorten the path from undergraduate to doctorate for students pursuing research careers. "Shorten undergrad into a 7 year time frame, rather than the 4 years plus 5 or 6," he said, calling the idea bipartisan and intended to make research careers more accessible to American-born students.
Warner and other panelists warned the current pathway often takes too long and can discourage domestic students from entering science and engineering tracks. They discussed summer internships, revamped incentives and partnerships between universities and national labs as possible components of an accelerated path. The senators suggested a combination of federal support and industry partnerships could be used to pilot such programs and expand domestic graduate production.
