Counting Scientists One by One

The 2006 edition of Science and Engineering Indicators, published in late February by the National Science Foundation and available online, reports on various science and engineering (S&E) trends across the United States such as the number of S&E degrees awarded, labor and salary statistics in S&E fields, research and deveopment funding, and S&E indicators broken down by state. The map at right shows the percentage of S&E doctorates as a share of the total workforce for each state in 2003 (click to enlarge), indicating which states are most attractive to S&E doctorates and where the most job opportunities for S&E doctorates are likely to be found. S&E fields include physical, life, earth, ocean, atmospheric, computer, and social sciences; mathematics; engineering; and psychology. The study also covered public interest, knowledge, and attitudes about science, and found that most Americans get their science news from television followed by the internet, which is "the preferred source when people are seeking information about specific scientific issues. In 2004, 52% of National Science Foundation survey respondents named the Internet as the place they would go to learn more about a scientific issue such as global warming or biotechnology, up from 44% in 2001." Despite the Bush administration's stated opposition to stem cell research, only 36% of those surveyed said they were opposed to medical research that uses stem cells from human embryos, down from 51% in 2002. And for those considering a career in science, "Scientists share (with doctors) the top spot in the Harris poll of occupations having the most prestige." The report itself is meant to be policy neutral, so the NSF has provided its recommendations based on the report in a companion document, America's Pressing Challenge - Building a Stronger Foundation.