News Release 12-226
Characteristics of U.S. Science and Engineering Doctorates Detailed in New Report
New data show recent trends in U.S. doctoral STEM education
NSF data serves as a leading indicator for knowledge creation and innovation for doctoral education.
December 6, 2012
This material is available primarily for archival purposes. Telephone numbers or other contact information may be out of date; please see current contact information at media contacts.
The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) yesterday released a report titled Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2011 that unveils important trends in U.S. doctoral education.
The report calls attention to the changing characteristics of U.S. doctorate recipients over time, including the increased representation of women, minorities and foreign nationals; the emergence of new fields of study; the time it takes to complete doctoral study; the expansion of the postdoctoral pool; and employment opportunities after graduation.
Understanding connections among these characteristics is of paramount importance to improving U.S. doctoral education and helping the system maintain its leadership role.
This annual count by the National Science Foundation (NSF) is a direct measure of the human resource pool that is on a path to careers in science, engineering, mathematics and research, and these data can serve as leading indicators of U.S. capacity for knowledge creation and innovation.
Trends in the report can be examined in greater depth through accompanying online resources including an interactive version of the report and 70 detailed data tables available as PDF and Excel files.
For more information on this report, contact Mark K. Fiegener.
Visit NSF's NCSES for access to more reports and other products.
-NSF-
Media Contacts
Deborah Wing, NSF, (703) 292-5344, email: dwing@nsf.gov
The U.S. National Science Foundation propels the nation forward by advancing fundamental research in all fields of science and engineering. NSF supports research and people by providing facilities, instruments and funding to support their ingenuity and sustain the U.S. as a global leader in research and innovation. With a fiscal year 2023 budget of $9.5 billion, NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 40,000 competitive proposals and makes about 11,000 new awards. Those awards include support for cooperative research with industry, Arctic and Antarctic research and operations, and U.S. participation in international scientific efforts.
Connect with us online
NSF website: nsf.gov
NSF News: nsf.gov/news
For News Media: nsf.gov/news/newsroom
Statistics: nsf.gov/statistics/
Awards database: nsf.gov/awardsearch/
Follow us on social
Twitter: twitter.com/NSF
Facebook: facebook.com/US.NSF
Instagram: instagram.com/nsfgov