Measuring the Science and Engineering Enterprise Priorities for the Division of Science Resources Studies (2000) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
6 Recommendations
6 Recommendations
Pages 100-110
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 100... ...
To be effective in this role, SRS must ensure the ongoing relevance of the information it provides through its portfolio of data collection and analysis activities. In this chapter we summarize our recommendations for operational changes that will facilitate an ongoing renewal of the concepts that SRS data should measure and the analysis the division provides.
|
From page 101... ...
The SRS Breakout Group of the Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE) Advisory Committee that provides NSF with advice on SRS surveys and operations and the advisory committees for individual surveys should work together to review and assist in the implementation of our recommendations, and set priorities among them and other proposals for change.
|
From page 102... ...
SRS should carefully consider how it may best engage in and support research on science and engineering resources in the future. It should continue its in-house analytical activities, such as those in the Integrated Studies Program, and also actively engage outside experts in analytical activities using SRS data.
|
From page 103... ...
Individuals interviewed for this study as well as science and technology policymakers recently interviewed by SRS following the publication of the last Indicators volume suggest at least three possible futures for Indicators. The first of these, of course, is maintaining the status quo.
|
From page 104... ...
SRS should also help coordinate the data gathering activities of others to improve data availability and comparability with its own data. For example, SRS should encourage standardization in data collection by professional associations and universities on the early job market and career experiences of new Ph.D.s.
|
From page 105... ...
While SRS is small compared with other federal statistical agencies, its staff of about forty are called on to carry out each of the major functions of a federal statistical agency: data collection and acquisition, quality assurance, preparation of tabulations and public use data files, data analysis, publication of reports, and data and report dissemination. NSF should support SRS in its efforts to meet Wily those standards set for federal statistical agencies regarding independence, professional staffing, data quality, and data analysis.
|
From page 106... ...
These data should address some of the concerns of policymakers, educators, and analysts. SRS is currently in the development stage for a new longitudinal survey of beginning graduate students, designed to obtain data on education and job market experiences of graduate students.
|
From page 107... ...
The division should analyze and disseminate these data, but SRS should also institute ongoing collection of these data by adding questions to the Survey of Earned Doctorates about the job market experience of Ph.D.s prior to degree receipt, and about the salaries of new Ph.D.s who have firm commitments for employment at the time the degree is received. The division should also continue to augment its own data collection and dissemination by assisting others collecting data in this area particularly professional societies that survey their members who are recent Ph.D.s and colleges and universities that track the career outcomes of recent science and engineering alumni.
|
From page 108... ...
To better understand the career paths of scientists and engineers and the career options of new Ph.D.s, SRS should revise the SDR to obtain data that better describe the careers of Ph.D.s who work for government agencies, private businesses, and nonprofit organizations. Questions that might be added to better capture nonacademic careers include questions on non-salary compensation; patenting and other productivity measures in the private sector; use of scientific background in sales, regulation, or patent law positions; and temporary work arrangements like contracting and consulting.
|
From page 109... ...
These activities may include hiring personnel or consultants with new skills, contracting with specialized firms, training existing staff, or reorganizing business processes. SRS should pursue plans to develop a survey of industrial innovation that addresses these and other issues regarding the manner in which science and technology are transferred among firms and transformed into new processes and products.
|
From page 110... ...
SRS needs to resolve these discrepancies to improve the credibility of the data among analysts. Academic Facilities SRS should continue to pursue changes to its Survey of Scientific and Engineering R&D Facilities at Colleges and Universities to provide better data for assessing overhead rates at research universities and estimating future academic infrastructure needs.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.