Survey Materials

FY 1995 FYI Flyer

National Science Foundation
Arlington, Virginia 22230

THIS IS A SURVEY IN THE ACADEMIC SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING SURVEY SYSTEM OF THE DIVISION OF SCIENCE RESOURCES STUDIES.

What is the Division of Science Resources Studies?

The Division of Science Resources Studies (SRS), part of the National Science Foundation's Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Science, gathers and analyzes data on science and engineering (S&E) resources in each sector of the economy and at the national and international levels. Decisions by Federal and State agencies, industry, and academic officials on the allocation of resources are often based on data collected by SRS.

Congress has directed NSF to provide "a central clearinghouse for the collection, interpretation, and analysis of data on scientific and engineering resources and to provide a source of information for policy formulation by other agencies of the Federal Government . . . . " In response, SRS conducts annual surveys of the nation's universities and colleges focusing on graduate S&E enrollment, research and development (R&D) expenditures, and Federal agencies' support of academic S&E and other activities. Three surveys currently collect data on universities and colleges in compatible formats:

• Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering
• Scientific and Engineering Expenditures at Universities and Colleges
• Federal Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions

In addition to the three surveys conducted under the general congressional mandate, SRS also conducts two surveys in response to specific congressional directives on the status of academic research instrumentation and the condition of academic research facilities.

These data are not collected anywhere else.

Why are these data collected?

The data that universities and colleges provide to SRS contribute to decisions affecting higher education. Congress, the Executive Branch, and education associations use institutional and summary data. Each participating institution receives its own "profile," showing trend data based on its responses to all of the academic S&E surveys. On request, NSF also sends profiles of peer institutions, making it possible to compare similar institutions for planning and recruiting. Detailed data are made available to institutional, Federal, State, and other policy analysts in statistical tables, in data files, or through the Computer-Aided Science Policy Analysis and Research (CASPAR) database system. These data are available in various electronic formats including the World Wide Web on the Internet (http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/).

Data from these surveys also appear in the following NSF publications:

• Science and Engineering Indicators
• National Patterns of Science and Technology Resources
• Science and Technology Data Book

Why should your institution respond to these surveys?

By providing accurate data, you can ensure your institution's representation in data used by Federal and State decisionmakers. You will also find the data useful for comparing your institution with others in your State or region. Also, since industrial firms use SRS data in preparing for employment recruiting visits to universities and colleges, your participation in the survey provides employment opportunities for your graduates.

In summary, the surveys produce a unique information base for ecisions at all levels. We appreciate your participation.

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