Next generation of scientists and engineers: Who`s in the pipeline
Our ability to produce the next generation of scientists and engineers is dependent upon two important demographic changes: the trends in the number of births and the increasingly diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds of those already born. The number of births dropped 25% from 1956 to 1976. As a consequence, the number of high school graduates dropped from 3.1 million in 1977 to 2.4 million in 1992 and will not reach the 1977 high until after 2000. More than half of these graduates are women, and one of every four is a member of minority group. Women now make up more than half of all undergraduates and almost half of all graduate students, but are underrepresented in the natural science and engineering fields. Minority students are about half as likely to be enrolled in college as white students. About 32% of all precollege students and 20% of all college students are members of minority groups. Based on current graduate enrollment figures in natural science and engineering, there will be little increase in women`s share of doctorates in the next several years. The number of PhDs earned by American minorities continues to be very small. Not known is when our economy will require more professionals trained in science and engineering. But any serious attempt to increase the number of students eligible to choose college majors in science or engineering must take both sex and race/ethnicity into account. The nation cannot afford to waste the talent in two-thirds of our increasingly diverse population.
- OSTI ID:
- 549139
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950264-; TRN: 95:006094-0008
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting and science innovation exposition, Atlanta, GA (United States), 16-21 Feb 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of 1995 AAAS annual meeting and science innovation exposition: Unity in diversity; Strauss, M.S. [ed.]; Heasley, C.; PB: 337 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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