At a Capitol Hill event organized by AAAS, experts discussed the legal challenges facing the fast-growing industry.

How can U.S. universities draw more women and underrepresented minorities into science fields to boost economic and security goals—while minimizing any unreasonable legal risks?

U.S. Supreme Court rulings in 2003 limited the role of race in university admissions. Those rulings didn’t address faculty recruitment, though, and some state laws prohibit any consideration of race in admissions or hiring.