2012 Forum

 

Data Buddies: Partnering for Comparison Data

June 20, 2012

The Computing Research Association’s Data Buddies project gathers data on undergraduate and graduate students from a sample of computing departments nationwide. Two waves of surveys so far have helped improve evaluation of several broadening participation programs by developing a comparison group of nonparticipating students; in addition, the responses are a rich source of data on students’ decisions about graduate school and research careers.

• Betsy Bizot, Kenneth Hines, and Delicia Mapp, Computing Research Association

 

Data on Faculty: What Are We Missing

May 16, 2012

John Curtis, Director of Research and Public Policy at the American Association of University Professors, discussed the state of data collection on faculty at U.S. universities and provided data from AAUP’s latest Annual Report on the Economic Status of the Profession.

• John Curtis, American Association of University Professors

 

It’s not your father’s Cadillac! The Transformation of the US from a High School to a College Economy

April 18, 2012

At this forum, Jeff Strohl from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce highlighted some of the Center’s recent work on supply and demand, including data from a recent publication, Hard Times, which focuses on employment prospects by major.

• Jeff Strohl, Center on Education and the Workforce

 

Employment Projections, 2010-20

March 21, 2012

The latest employment projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics were presented at this forum, with a special focus on the projected growth in jobs that typically require a master’s degree or a doctorate.

• Kristina Bartsch and James Franklin, Bureau of Labor Statistics

 

Trends in Master’s Education

February 15, 2012

This forum provided an overview of recent trends in master’s education from the viewpoint of four disciplinary organizations. Presenters discussed trends in enrollment, degrees, student demographics, financing, and more.

• Michael Stephens, Association of Schools of Public Health
• Gregg Schoenfeld, Graduate Management Admission Council
• Michael Solem, Association of American Geographers
• Jodi Wesemann, American Chemical Society (presentation not yet available)

 

Design Changes to NSF, SESTAT Database

January 18, 2012

Staff from NSF provided an overview of design changes being considered for the SESTAT surveys and solicited input from attendees on data needs and analytical interests.

• John Finamore, National Science Foundation (presentation not yet available)

 

2011 Forums

 

Too Many? Too Few? Supply and Demand for New Doctorate Recipients

November 16, 2011

Policymakers and educators periodically debate the undersupply or oversupply of new doctorate recipients. At this forum, representatives from four professional societies discussed current supply and demand issues and the state of the job market for new doctorate recipients in their respective disciplines.

• Keith Crank, American Statistical Association
• Roberta Spalter-Roth, American Sociological Association (presentation not available)
• Robert Townsend, American Historical Association
• Di Fang, American Association of Colleges of Nursing

 

Professional Science Master’s (PSM) Degrees: Enrollment, Degrees, and Outcomes


October 19, 2011

PSM programs, which combine rigorous study in science and/or mathematics with coursework in management, policy, law, or related fields, are designed to prepare graduates for careers in business, government, and non-profit organizations. This forum provided an overview of the PSM initiative, along with recent data on PSM enrollment and degrees and employment outcomes for PSM degree recipients, based on surveys conducted by the Council of Graduate Schools.

• Sally Francis, Council of Graduate Schools
• Jeff Allum, Council of Graduate Schools


 

Selected Results from the 2008 Survey of Doctorate Recipients


September 14, 2011

This presentation provided a brief description of the Survey of Doctorate Recipients (SDR) methodology, followed by some of the latest findings pertaining to doctoral scientists and engineers in the US. Results focused on demographic characteristics, field of doctorate, and employment sector.

• Lynn Milan, National Science Foundation

 

Trends in Student Financing of Graduate and First-Professional Education: 1995/96 to 2007/08


May 18, 2011

Using nationally representative data from graduate students participating in the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS), this presentation provides trend statistics on how graduate and first-professional students finance their education.

• Sean Simone, National Center for Education Statistics

 

An Examination of Disciplines and Interdisciplinarity in NSF’s GRFP and IGERT Data


April 20, 2011

Gisele Muller-Parker from the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), provided a historical perspective on the evolution of disciplinary fields of study over time using 60 years of data from the GRFP. Ram Ramasubramanian provided an overview of the NSF IGERT interdisciplinary training program and examined how interdisciplinary fields of study may be integrated into this framework.

• Gisele Muller-Parker and Melur Ramasubramanian, National Science Foundation

 

Tracking Graduate Student Outcomes: Best Practices from Society Surveys


March 15, 2011

Three presenters discussed the methodologies used by professional societies to track employment and education outcomes for graduate students, as well as the challenges they have overcome in collecting data, challenges that have yet to overcome, and ways in which the data are used by professional societies.

• Patrick Mulvey, American Institute of Physics
• Betsy Bizot, Computing Research Association
• James Maxwell, American Mathematical Society

 

Refueling the U.S. Innovation Economy: Fresh Approaches to STEM Education


February 16, 2011

Robert Atkinson presented the findings of a new ITIF report that challenges the U.S. approach to STEM education and argues that reforms are urgently needed to better match the talents of students, the needs of employers, and our goals as a nation.

• Robert Atkinson, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

 

Diversifying Scientific Leadership: Making Effective Faculty Diversity Programs Legally Sustainable


January 19, 2011

Daryl Chubin, founding Director of the Center for Advancing Science and Engineering Capacity at AAAS, presented an overview of the Center’s recent work in support of the efforts of colleges and universities to diversify their faculty ranks.

• Daryl Chubin, American Association for the Advancement of Science

 

2010 Forums

 

A Data-Based Assessment of Research-Doctorate Programs in the United States


November 16, 2010

Charlotte Kuh, Deputy Executive Director of the Policy and Global Affairs Division at the National Research Council, discussed the NRC’s recently-released study of research-doctorate programs, highlighted how to use the database itself, and discussed ways that the data could be used for research and for the improvement of doctoral education.

• Charlotte Kuh, National Research Council

 

Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements through 2018


October 20, 2010

This presentation featured highlights from Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements through 2018, a recent publication from the Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) at Georgetown University. One of the reports authors discussed the demand for graduate-level workers and the impact of a projected shortfall by 2018 in the supply of workers with postsecondary education and training.

• Nicole Smith, Center on Education and the Workforce

 

NSF/SRS Update on Higher Education R&D Survey and Postdoc Data Project


September 22, 2010

Staff members from the National Science Foundation’s Division of Science Resources Statistics provided an update on NSF’s Postdoc Data Project, including the methodological results, and discussed recent developments for the redesigned Higher Education R&D Survey.

• Kelly Phou, National Science Foundation
• Ronda Britt, National Science Foundation

 

The Path Forward: The Future of Graduate Education in the United States


May 20, 2010

Cathy Wendler from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) provided an overview of a report guided by the Commission on the Future of Graduate Education, a group jointly formed by CGS and ETS in 2009 to study how graduate education can meet the challenges of the 21st century. Her presentation included current trends in graduate education, vulnerabilities in our system of graduate education, and the report’s recommendations and actions.

• Cathy Wendler, ETS

 

Graduate Education in Germany


April 14, 2010

Jürgen Breitkopf from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Germany’s funding organization for research in science, engineering and humanities, provided an overview of the DFG and the structure and funding of graduate education in Germany.

• Jürgen Breitkopf, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

 

The Federal Workforce


March 17, 2010

This presentation by Tim McManus, Vice President for Education and Outreach at The Partnership for Public Service, covered three main topics: “Where the Jobs Are” in the federal government, barriers to entering the federal workforce, and what can be done to ensure the federal government gets the workforce it needs.

• Tim McManus, The Partnership for Public Service

 

Minorities in Graduate Education


February 17, 2010

Mikyung Ryu from the American Council on Education provided an overview of the participation of minorities in graduate education based on data from ACE’s Minorities in Higher Education reports. Deborah Santiago, from Excelencia in Education, focused on Hispanics in graduate education.

• Mikyung Ryu, American Council on Education
• Deborah Santiago, Excelencia in Education (presentation not available)

 

Findings from the 2007-08 Survey of Earned Doctorates


January 20, 2010

This forum highlighted findings from the recently released Survey of Earned Doctorates Summary Report for 2007-08, focusing on longer term trends in doctoral degree production, educational history including time-to-degree and graduate school debt, and postgraduation plans of doctorate recipients.

• Mark Fiegener, National Science Foundation

 

2009 Forums

 

International Graduate Students


November 17, 2009

The forum highlighted trends in study abroad for graduate students and presented statistics on international graduate students at U.S. institutions.

• Patricia Chow, Institute of International Education

 

Applications for Fall 2009 in MBA, MPA/MPP, and MD Programs


October 21, 2009

Three speakers presented fall 2009 applications data from their recently released surveys.

• Marina Murray, Graduate Management Admission Council
• Laurel McFarland, National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (presentation not available)
• Gwen Garrison, Association of American Medical Colleges

 

Graduate Enrollment and Degrees: 1998 to 2008


September 16, 2009

Using data from the latest CGS/GRE Survey of Graduate Enrollment and Degrees, this presentation includes data and trends on applications for admission to graduate school, first-time and total graduate student enrollment, and graduate degrees and certificates conferred.

• Nathan Bell, Council of Graduate Schools

 

Findings from Exit Surveys of Ph.D. Completers


June 17, 2009

Using data from Ph.D. Completion and Attrition: Findings from Exit Surveys of Ph.D. Completers, a new publication from the Council of Graduate Schools, Robert Sowell presented on factors that contribute to Ph.D. completion, as reported by the graduates themselves.

• Robert Sowell, Council of Graduate Schools

 

The Humanities Indicators: What They Tell Us about Graduate Education


May 20, 2009

This forum provided an overview of the Humanities Indicators, a prototype set of statistical data about the humanities in the United States. The Indicators include data on undergraduate and graduate degrees in the humanities, employment of humanities graduates, levels of program funding, public understanding of the humanities, and other areas of concern in the humanities.

• Norman Bradburn, National Opinion Research Center

 

Master’s Degrees in STEM


April 15, 2009

Presenters at this forum addressed trends in master’s degree production, the nature of the master’s degree in their discipline (i.e. terminal vs. en route, professional vs. research, required vs. optional, etc.), outcomes for master’s degree recipients, funding for master’s students, and data on master’s-level completion and attrition.

• Jeffrey Allum and Jerry Bell, American Chemical Society
• Chris Keane, American Geological Institute
• Michael Gibbons, American Society for Engineering Education
• Jessica Kohout and William Pate, American Psychological Association
• Pat Mulvey, American Institute of Physics

 

Distance Education at the Graduate Level

March 18, 2009

This forum provided current data on the scope of distance learning at the graduate level, based on data from “Distance Education at Postsecondary Institutions: 2006-07,” a recent NCES publication.

• Peter Tice, National Center for Education Statistics

 

The Current Employment Situation for Graduate Degree Recipients by Discipline


February 18, 2009

This forum addressed recent employment trends for graduate degree recipients by discipline and the anticipated employment situation for individuals graduating with master’s degrees and doctorates in spring 2009.

• Patrick Mulvey, American Institute of Physics
• Sam Rankin, American Mathematical Society (presentation not available)
• Keith Crank, American Statistical Association
• Jennifer Hobin, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (presentation not available)
• Jessica Kohout and Bill Pate, American Psychological Association
• Robert Townsend, American Historical Association

 

International Comparisons of Graduate Education

January 21, 2009

Data were presented showing how the United States compares internationally on metrics such as participation in and completion of doctoral programs and how international participation in higher education has changed over the past decade.

• Tom Snyder, National Center for Education Statistics (presentation not available)