Scientific manpower : hearing before the Subcommittee on Science of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Second Congress, first session, July 31, 1991.

  • United States. Congress. House. Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Subcommittee on Science
Date:
1991
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Scientific manpower : hearing before the Subcommittee on Science of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Second Congress, first session, July 31, 1991. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    SCIENTIFIC MANPOWER WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 1991 U.S. House or REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY, SUBCOMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:35 a.m. in room 2325, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Rick Boucher [chair- man of the subcommittee] presiding. Mr. BoucHEr. The subcommittee will come to order. This morning the Subcommittee on Science will explore issues associated with the supply and demand for scientists and engineers in the Nation’s work force. Few public policy issues in science and technology are of greater significance. A well-trained scientific and technical work force, sufficient in numbers and representing a wide range of skills, is an essential in- gredient in the Nation’s economic progress. This is the resource base that generates new knowledge and is the source of technologi- cal innovation that insures economic competitiveness and sustains a high standard of living. In recognition of the importance of the scientific and technical work force, the Federal Government has long offered support for students pursuing studies in science and engineering. Beyond that, considerable effort is made by the Government to gather, maintain and analyze data to gauge the size, diversity and growth trends of the scientific and technical work force. This function of characteriz- ing the scientific and technical work force has been largely the re- sponsibility of the National Science Foundation. Over the last several years, from a variety of sources, projections have been made of significant shortfalls in the future availability of scientists and engineers to meet the needs of industry, academia and government. These projections of shortages are based on such factors as analysis of demographic trends in the college-age popula- tion, trends in student preferences and attainment of degrees in science and engineering disciplines, and estimates of future person- nel demands by industry, coupled with accelerating retirements on academic faculties. Projections of shortfalls in the scientific and technical work force are frequently cited in calls for greater efforts to increase the numbers of graduates in science and engineering. However, objections have been raised about the methodologies used in these projections, and those questions in turn raise concerns about whether they should be used to guide program planning. We've asked our first panel of witnesses this morning to review the uncertainties and the problems that are associated with the
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