age of 11. 4. Supporting STEM research on early childhood In awarding grants under the Discovery Research PreK–12 program, the Director shall consider age distribution in order to more equitably allocate funding for research studies with a focus on early childhood. 5. Supporting girls in STEM education and computer science (a) Research grants (1) In general The Director shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations (or consortia of such institutions or organizations), to accelerate research efforts to increase understanding of the factors that contribute to the participation of young girls in STEM activities. (2) Research areas Research areas funded by a grant under this subsection may include— (A) the role of teacher training and professional development, including effective incentive structures to encourage teachers to participate in such training and professional development, in encouraging or discouraging young girls from participating in STEM activities