Academic Institutions of Minority Faculty with Science, Engineering, and Health Doctorates
Science, engineering, and health (SEH) doctorates awarded by U. S. institutions to minorities (Asians, blacks, Hispanics, and American Indian/Alaska Natives) have been increasing in number over the past two decades. Nevertheless, both minority doctorate numbers and minority faculty numbers remain low, especially in the leading research institutions. (Read more…)

Number of Doctorates Awarded in the United States Declined in 2010
U.S. academic institutions awarded 48,069 research doctorates in 2010, down from 49,554 awards in 2009 and the first decline in doctorates awarded since 2002. The 2010 decline was magnified by the recent reclassification of many Doctor of Education (EdD) degree programs from the research doctorate to the professional doctorate category, and consequently the discontinuation of data collection from the reclassified degree programs by the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED). The total number of doctorates awarded in fields other than education also declined from 2009 to 2010, but by a much smaller amount than the decline in education doctorates. (Read more…)

NCSES Request for Comment
The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) at the National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced a request for comments on the intent to conduct an evaluation of the designs for two of the three surveys that comprise the Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System (SESTAT) in the Federal Register (Vol. 76, No. 224/Monday, November 21, 2011/Notices). This request is in response to recent improvements to the design of the National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG) that potentially offset the further need for the National Survey of Recent College Graduates (NSRCG). (Read more…)