National Science Foundation Division of Science Resources Statistics An Overview of the Science and...

National Science Foundation

Division of Science Resources Statistics

An Overview of the Science and Engineering Labor Force

(With some emphasis on IT)Workshop on Leadership For Networking and Information

Technology Education

Arlington, VA Sept 16, 2008

Mark [email protected] 703-292-7813

National Science FoundationDivision of Science Resources Statistics

www.nsf.gov/statistics

mailto:[email protected]


There are many different concepts of the science and engineering

labor force

2


Note: Circle sizes are proportionate to population size, but intersection sizes are not proportional. Source: 2003 National Survey of College Graduates

13.7 million with need for S&E knowledge in job

9.9 million with S&E highest degree and job related to degree

5.4 million with S&E occupation

6.2m

1.5m

3.7m

0.5m

2.7m

0.2m

1.0m

Complex overlapping concepts of the science and engineering workforce

3


Even at the bachelor’s degree level, most S&E grads report that their job is related to the field of their degree

4


Growth in science and engineering employment has long outpaced both

labor force growth and growth in degree production

5


Source: National Science Board, Science and Engineering Indicators 2008

Employment in science and engineering occupations: 1950-2000

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0

All S&E

Life scientists

Physical scientists

Engineers

Math/computerscientists

Social scientists

Millions

195019601970198019902000

6


7

Rapid Growth in S&T employment globallyGrowth rates for selected S&E labor force measurements

Measurement Source YearsAverage annual growth rate (%)

Researchers in OECD countries OECD 1995–2002 3.4

Doctorate holders in U.S. nonacademic S&E occupations

U.S. Census 1990–2005 4.6

College graduates in U.S. nonacademic S&E occupations

U.S. Census 1990–2005 3.8

S&E doctorate holders in U.S. NSF/SRS SESTAT 1993–2003 3.0

S&E bachelor’s degree and above holders in U.S.

NSF/SRS SESTAT 1993–2003 3.6

Researchers in China OECD 2000–2003 7.4

Source: NSF/SRS Science and Engineering Indicators 2008


Employment in S&E occupations has grown faster than growth in degrees

8


9• Source: NSF/SRS Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates

U.S. Computer Science Graduate Enrollment: 1999-2006


10• Source: NSF/SRS Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates

U.S. Electrical Engineering Graduate Enrollment: 1999-2006


11• Source: NSF/NSB Science and Engineering Indicators: 2008

U.S. Computer Science Degrees: 1966-2006

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,00019

6619

6719

6819

6919

7019

7119

7219

7319

7419

7519

7619

7719

7819

7919

8019

8119

8219

8319

8419

8519

8619

8719

8819

8919

9019

9119

9219

9319

9419

9519

9619

9719

9819

9920

0020

0120

0220

0320

04

Year

BS &

MS

Prod

uctio

n

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Ph.D

. Pro

ducti

on

BS

MS

PHD (Values on right-hand axis)


12• Source: NSF/NSB Science and Engineering Indicators: 2008

U.S. Electrical Engineering Degrees: 1966-2006


The “demand” for S&E trained workers is neither directly observed or

easily measured.

Changes in salary and unemployment do provide indicators of demand

relative to supply

13


Unemployment rate for S&E and other occupations: 1983-2006

14Source: Science and Engineering Indicators: 2008


Source: Science and Engineering Indicators 2008 15


While most S&E doctorate recipients do not have academic careers, more have been attaining tenure-track positions

16


Until recently, only a relatively small portion of the U.S. science and

engineering labor force was near retirement ages

17


POSTDOCS

19


0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

Pre-1972 1972–76 1977–81 1982–86 1987–91 1992–96 1997–2001 2002–05Year of Doctorate

Proportion ever holding a postdoc among S&E doctorate recipients from U.S. schools

All S&E

EngineeringLife sciencesMath / comp. sci.

Physical sciencesSocial sciences

20

21


Changes in how S&T is done:• More S&T activity of all types is done across

borders– Teams and collaborations physically located in

multiple countries– Both basic research & product development

• Global capacity for S&T growing rapidly in most part of the world.

• S&T capacity much less centralized, U.S. now about 1/3 of world R&D

22


Multiple Node Knowledge Network

• Increased and more complex flows of students, workers, and finances

• Increased regional S&T collaboration and links between regions

• Global and regional labor markets for some skills

• Increased importance of individuals with high “betweenness”—those connecting the nodes

23


23

A “flat world” means that information and people freely move

between “mountain tops” (clusters of innovation)

Location still matters


25

Doctorates Awarded in Math/Computer-Science and Engineering: Selected Countries 1985-2004

Source: Science and Engineering Indicators 2008Note: In several countries computer science is taught primarily as an engineering degree. Counts for math/computer science and engineering were combined for compatibility.


26

First University Degrees Awarded in Math/Computer-Science and Engineering: Selected Countries 1985-2004

Source: Science and Engineering Indicators 2008Note: In several countries computer science is taught primarily as an engineering degree. Counts for math/computer science and engineering were combined for compatibility.


Foreign-born are an increasing proportion of those in S&E occupations in the United States

27

28


28

29


High-skilled migration is an important part of many countries’ national economic strategy

29


Chinese Student Flows: 1985-2005

Source: NSF/SRS analysis of data from the China National Bureau of Statistics

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Stud

ents

leav

ing

& re

turn

ing

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

Ratio

Students Leaving

Students Returning

Ratio of Returning to Leaving

Ratio of Returning to DomesticPostgraduate Degrees Awarded

30

31


Is there much of a U.S. native Diaspora?

• 485,000 college educated U.S. Citizens found in 2000/2001 censuses of OECD countries (Docquier 2004)

• 1.2 million U.S. Individual tax returns filed abroad (growing at 3.5% annual rate)

• 3 percent of U.S. Native-born Ph.D.s in science and engineering have initial foreign employment

32


Resources:NSF Division of Science Resources Statistics:

www.nsf.gov/statistics/

Science and Engineering Indicators 2008:www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind08/

Mark Regets703-292-7813

[email protected]@scipolicy.com



National Science Foundation Division of Science Resources Statistics An Overview of the Science and...

Documents

Transcript of National Science Foundation Division of Science Resources Statistics An Overview of the Science and...