Trends in Federal Support of Research and Graduate Education (2001) / Chapter Skim
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3 Field Trends in Graduate Education Support
3 Field Trends in Graduate Education Support
Pages 49-64
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From page 49... ...
And investigators have a variety of options for staffing their laboratories not only graduate student assistants and students on fellowships and traineeships but also postdoctoral fellows, non-faculty research scientists, and trained laboratory technicians. In part this is an economic decision, and in some fields such as the biological sciences the number of recent Ph.D.'s available for postdoctoral fellowships at costs similar to those of graduate research assistants has increased in recent years.
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From page 50... ...
The data may be misleading in one respect. Although the role of federally funded research assistantships, fellowships, and traineeships varies greatly among fields, in general less than one-third of graduate students are reported to be supported principally by federal funds and in some cases e.g., much of engineering, computer science, and agriculture the share is closer to 20 percent.
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From page 51... ...
Federal funding for university research in mathematical sciences declined by 13.5 percent from 1993 to 1999 (Figure 3-41. The number of full-time mathematics graduate students declined by 18.8 percent and the number of mathematics graduate students with federal support declined by 25.1 percent in the same period.
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From page 52... ...
TRENDS IN FEDERAL SUPPORT OF RESEARCH AND GRADUATE EDUCATION Graduate Students Federally Supported Graduate Students Federally Supported Research Assistants 7~000~ 6,OOO 5.000 ,~ 4,0003~000 2,000 1 ,000 OGraduate Students Federally Supported Graduate Students Federally Supported Research Assistants .
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From page 53... ...
The average annual decline in federally supported graduate students was 4.4 percent and among those whose primary support was from a nonfederal source the decline was 1.8 percent. Federal funding for university research in oceanography increased by 46.9 percent from 1993 to 1999 (Figure 3-7~.
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From page 54... ...
The average annual decline in federally supported graduate students was 4.8 percent and in those whose primary support was from a nonfederal source was 2.6 percent. Federal funding for university research in chemical engineering was also down from 1993 to 1997, by 11.6 percent, before increasing in 1998 and 1999.
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From page 55... ...
The average annual decrease in the number of federally supported graduate students was 2.4 percent and that for those with nonfederal support declined 3.2 percent annually. Federal funding for university-based research in metallurgical and materials engineering increased 7.7 percent from 1993 to 1999 (Figure 3-13~.
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From page 56... ...
The average annual decrease in the number of both federally and nonfederally supported graduate students was 0.5 percent. Given that federal funding for university research in the biological sciences increased 39.9 percent from 1993 to 1999, it is somewhat surprising that graduate enrollment in the biological sciences has grown only modestly during this time (Figure 3-16~.
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From page 57... ...
In 1998, funding 0 for university research had been 20.3 percent lower than in 1993. Graduate enrollment in the social sciences decreased 4.2 percent from 1993 to 1999 and the number of federally supported graduate students decreased 10.2 percent, an average annual decline of 1.8 percent.
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From page 58... ...
TRENDS IN FEDERAL SUPPORT OF RESEARCH AND GRADUATE EDUCATION programs or switch fields. Indeed, the data shown below reveal that fields in which federal funding for R&D decreased from 1993 to 1997 almost universally had decreases in doctoral awards from 1993 to 1999.
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From page 59... ...
Fields With Decreased Federal Funcling Seven fields experienced substantial cuts in both federal funding for university research from 1993 to 1997 and fulltime graduate enrollment from 1993 to 1999 mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, chemical engineering, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and social sciences. 59 4O,OOO 35,000 3O,OOO 25,OOO E 2O,0001 5,000 1 O,OOO 5,000 OGraduate Students Federally Supported Graduate Students Federally Supported Research Assistants 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Year FIGURE 3-19 Full-time graduate enrollment in psychology, 19931999.
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From page 60... ...
In effect, institutions may act to mitigate the effects of cuts in federal research funding, but students may work to further ratify federal cuts by opting for training in growth fields. Fields With Increased Fecleral Funcling Compared to the clear downward direction in graduate enrollments and new doctorates for fields with decreased federal funding for university research, the direction of change in graduate students and doctorates in those fields with increased federal funding for university research in both 1997 and 1999 relative to 1993 is highly varied.
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From page 61... ...
Non-U.S. 1993-1997 1993-1999 Total federally supported research assistants Total Citizens Citizens Mechanical engineering -40.2% -40.5% -16.6 -13.4 -8.7 -17.2 14.1 -34.9 Mathematics -19.9% -13.5% -18.8 -25.1 -19.3 -5.3 8.5 -16.4 Electrical engineering -31.1% -12.0% -0.6 12.3 33.6 -4.3 1.1 -12.3 Physics -20.9% -7.4% -22.1 -22.6 -20.8 -9.1 -7.5 -16.3 Social sciences, total -15.8% -4.0% -4.2 -10.2 -1.7 7.7 16.0 -11.7 Chemistry -9.7% -2.0% -7.2 -13.2 -7.9 -0.1 -1.7 -3.7 Aeronautical engineering -12.8% 24.5% -18.9 -25.5 2.2 -9.2 -9.6 -13.3 Astronautical engineering -20.8% 79.5% Chemical engineering -11.6% 2.2% -7.8 -5.2 -6.3 -8.0 3.4 -17.0 Astronomy 28.9% 46.9% -4.7 -7.6 -1.2 10.3 3.8 15.4 Biological sciences 17.5% 39.9% 1.5 2.0 -4.5 10.0 5.9 13.0 Computer science 17.1% 34.3% 30.5 15.1 15.6 -3.4 -3.1 -7.2 Agricultural sciences 6.9% 21.7% -2.9 -2.7 -4.1 -0.3 -3.7 2.8 Medical sciences 0.1% 20.5% 41.5 14.1 39.7 17.8 9.9 32.8 Civil engineering 10.1% 6.4% -10.3 -15.6 -17.2 6.3 54.2 -30.8 Metallurgy and materials engineering 20.0% 7.7% -16.8 -16.8 -14.8 -12.1 -2.2 -20.5 Earth, atmospheric, and ocean sciences 4.9% 5.6% -7.6 -18.2 -17.3 4.7 1.5 6.2 Psychology, total -9.2% 1.5% -0.2 22.7 -7.0 7.2 2.9 -6.3 SOURCES: NSF, Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development; NSF, Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering; NSF/NIH/USED/NEH/USDA/NASA, Survey of Earned Doctorates.
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From page 62... ...
62 TRENDS IN FEDERAL SUPPORT OF RESEARCH AND GRADUATE EDUCATION TABLE 3-2 Full-time Graduate Enrollment in Science and Engineering, by Field and by Selected Source and Mechanism of Support, 1993-1999 Change Change Percent 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Number 93-99 Aerospace Engineering Graduate Students 3,262 3,000 2,693 2,576 2,529 2,565 2,645 -617 -18.9% Federally Supported Graduate Students 1,320 1,279 1,168 1,104 1,143 1,109 983 -337 -25.5% Federally Supported Research Assistants 727 719 727 740 793 833 743 16 2.2% Chemical Engineering Graduate Students 6,041 6,105 5,957 5,909 5,784 5,601 5,569 -472 -7.8% Federally Supported Graduate Students 1,748 1,716 1,752 1,786 1,649 1,683 1,657 -91 -5.2% Federally Supported Research Assistants 1,393 1,405 1,415 1,459 1,317 1,348 1,305 -88 -6.3% Civil Engineering Graduate Students 12,458 12,641 12,248 11,791 11,331 11,079 11,178 -1,280 -10.3% Federally Supported Graduate Students 1,982 2,090 1,970 1,886 1,807 1,670 1,672 -310 -15.6% Federally Supported Research Assistants 1,580 1,657 1,581 1,503 1,435 1,291 1,309 -271 -17.2% Electrical Engineering Graduate Students 20,343 19,385 18,167 17,967 18,854 19,470 20,224 -119 -0.6% Federally Supported Graduate Students 4,104 4,085 4,056 3,984 4,389 4,316 4,610 506 12.3% Federally Supported Research Assistants 3,068 3,199 3,287 3,277 3,722 3,694 4,100 1,032 33.6% Mechanical Engineering Graduate Students 12,395 11,875 11,128 10,690 10,432 10,073 10,333 -2,062 -16.6% Federally Supported Graduate Students 2,999 2,946 2,777 2,602 2,626 2,607 2,596 -403 -13.4% Federally Supported Research Assistants 2,406 2,403 2,205 2,122 2,237 2,178 2,197 -209 -8.7% Metallurgy and Materials Engineering Graduate Students 4,249 4,108 3,880 3,693 3,661 3,702 3,537 -712 -16.8% Federally Supported Graduate Students 1,605 1,578 1,544 1,597 1,473 1,431 1,336 -269 -16.8% Federally Supported Research Assistants 1,393 1,373 1,373 1,437 1,328 1,297 1,202 -191 -13.7% Engineering, Other Graduate Students 15,022 14,425 13,681 13,203 12,985 12,841 14346 -676 -4.5% Federally Supported Graduate Students 3,130 3,160 3,093 2,873 2,780 2,687 3059 -71 -2.3% Federally Supported Research Assistants 2,158 2,230 2,092 1,914 1,885 1,885 2106 -52 -2.4% Physics Graduate Students 12,397 11,766 11,052 10,400 9,923 9,661 9,661 -2,736 -22.1% Federally Supported Graduate Students 4,916 4,716 4,397 4,130 4,008 3,810 3,807 -1,109 -22.6% Federally Supported Research Assistants 4,103 4,042 3,764 3,504 3,437 3,223 3,248 -855 -20.8% Chemistry Graduate Students 17,204 17,104 16,736 16,479 15,992 15,777 15,963 -1,241 -7.2% Federally Supported Graduate Students 5,751 5,775 5,469 5,278 5,031 4,909 4,994 -757 -13.2% Federally Supported Research Assistants 4,713 4,936 4,719 4,588 4,393 4,291 4,340 -373 -7.9% Astronomy Graduate Students 848 953 871 854 768 787 808 -40 -4.7% Federally Supported Graduate Students 421 472 434 418 362 366 389 -32 -7.6% Federally Supported Research Assistants 330 376 351 313 278 293 326 -4 -1.2% continues
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From page 63... ...
FIELD TRENDS IN GRADUATE EDUCATION SUPPORT TABLE 3-2 Continued 63 1993 1994 1995 Change Change 1996 1997 1998 1999 Number Percent Geosciences Graduate Students 5,970 5,946 5,796 5,579 5,432 5,214 5,239 -731 -12.2% Federally Supported Graduate Students 1,647 1,587 1,556 1,425 1,305 1,205 1,263 -384 -23.3% Federally Supported Research Assistants 1,338 1,348 1,339 1,214 1,108 973 1,040 -298 -22.3% Atmospheric Sciences Graduate Students 980 993 959 980 966 856 793 -187 -19.1% Federally Supported Graduate Students 636 644 592 633 639 531 485 -151 -23.7% Federally Supported Research Assistants 547 572 507 537 556 466 430 -117 -21.4% Ocean Sciences Graduate Students 2,177 2,333 2,228 2,074 1,971 2,047 2,130 -47 -2.2% Federally Supported Graduate Students 1,037 1,070 1,003 940 860 904 932 -105 -10.1% Federally Supported Research Assistants 865 911 849 780 748 769 788 -77 -8.9% Mathematical Sciences Graduate Students 14,530 14,226 13,410 12,966 12,144 11,751 11,792 -2,738 -18.8% Federally Supported Graduate Students 1,474 1,397 1,287 1,237 1,152 1,044 1,104 -370 -25.1% Federally Supported Research Assistants 736 743 659 615 625 541 594 -142 -19.3% Computer Science Graduate Students 17,401 16,701 16,510 17,195 18,335 19,972 22,708 5,307 30.5% Federally Supported Graduate Students 2,920 3,067 3,176 3,106 3,173 3,309 3,361 441 15.1% Federally Supported Research Assistants 2,226 2,380 2,435 2,380 2,435 2,548 2,573 347 15.6% Agricultural Sciences Graduate Students 9,484 9,510 9,633 9,327 9,133 9,015 9,210 -274 -2.9% Federally Supported Graduate Students 1,965 1,922 2,061 1,973 1,783 1,683 1,911 -54 -2.7% Federally Supported Research Assistants 1,752 1,739 1,851 1,811 1,624 1,505 1,680 -72 -4.1% Biological Sciences Graduate Students 46,487 48,026 48,366 47,782 47,011 47,105 47,268 781 1.7% Federally Supported Graduate Students 16,210 16,725 16,649 16,564 16,365 16,251 16,531 321 2.0% Federally Supported Research Assistants 10,369 10,642 10,593 10,448 10,399 9,816 9,899 -470 -4.5% Health Fields Graduate Students 35,679 39,109 42,111 44,497 46,633 48,468 50,490 14,811 41.5% Federally Supported Graduate Students 7,295 7,776 7,900 7,392 7,723 7,931 8,326 1,031 14.1% Federally Supported Research Assistants 1,473 1,725 1,659 1,542 1,850 1,857 2,058 585 39.7% Social Sciences Graduate Students 55,606 56,255 56,212 56,894 55,535 53,822 53,258 -2,348 -4.2% Federally Supported Graduate Students 3,491 3,529 3,523 3,247 3,177 3,029 3,135 -356 -10.2% Federally Supported Research Assistants 1,487 1,437 1,454 1,448 1,424 1,391 1,462 -25 -1.7% Psychology Graduate Students 34,782 35,288 35,222 35,412 35,551 35,148 34,715 -67 -0.2% Federally Supported Graduate Students 2,653 2,634 2,543 2,752 2,720 2,927 3,255 602 22.7% Federally Supported Research Assistants 1,549 1,473 1,467 1,499 1,491 1,359 1,440 -109 -7.0% SOURCE: National Science Foundation, Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering.
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From page 64... ...
The average annual decline in federally supported graduate students was 4.7 percent and among those whose primary support was from a nonfederal source the average decrease was 3.3 percent. Federal funding for university research in geology decreased sharply, by 31.6 percent, from 1993 to 1999 (Figure 3-5~.
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