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1 Where Are Scientists and Engineers Working Today? Data from the National Science Foundation
Pages 1-13

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From page 1...
... Falkenheim, senior analyst at NSF, opened the workshop with a detailed review of the most recent data on "sex, racial/ethnic, and disability characteristics of scientists and engineers employed in industry, including breakouts by highest educational degree, occupation, primary and secondary work activity, and management occupations," 2 defining scientists and engineers as those who either are trained in or work in S&E or S&E-related fields or occupations (Table 1.1)
From page 2...
... Classification Degree Fields Occupations S&E Biological, agricultural, and Biological, agricultural, and environmental life sciences; environmental life scientists; Computer Computer and mathematical and mathematical scientists; Physical sciences; Physical sciences; Social scientists; Social scientists; Engineers; sciences; and Engineering and S&E postsecondary teachers S&E-related Health fields; Science and math Health-related occupations; S&E teacher education; Technology and managers; S&E precollege teachers; technical fields; Architecture; and S&E technicians and technologists; Actuarial science Architects; Actuaries; and S&E-related postsecondary teachers Non-S&E Management and administration; Non-S&E managers; Management Education (except science and related; Non-S&E precollege teachers; math teacher education) ; Social Non-S&E postsecondary teachers; services and related fields; Sales Social services; Sales and marketing; and marketing; Arts and Arts and humanities; and Others.
From page 3...
... NOTE: URM = underrepresented minority (Hispanics, blacks or African Americans, and American Indians/Alaska Natives) ; Other = Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders and individuals reporting more than one race.
From page 4...
... Thus, although African Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians constitute more than a quarter of the total US population, they account for only about 10.8 percent of the S&E workforce and 10.4 percent of the S&E industrial workforce. US population S&E workforce Industrial S&E workforce Whites Asian Blacks Hispanic Total URM 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 FIGURE 1.5 Percentage of the Science and Engineering (S&E)
From page 5...
... programs were designed to prepare people to work primarily in nonacademic sectors as laboratory administrators or project directors in, for example, large government or industrial laboratories or in small startup companies. They serve people who need advanced technical training (beyond the bachelor's degree)
From page 6...
... . White Asian Black Hispanic 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Computer and Biological, Physical and Social and Engineers S&E-related Non S&E mathematical agricultural, and related scientists related scientists occupations occupations scientists other life scientists FIGURE 1.8 Occupations of Scientists and Engineers Employed in Industry by Race/Ethnicity, 2008 (percent)
From page 7...
... Black women represented 10 percent, white women roughly 8 percent, and Hispanic women about 6 percent. 10 The data that generated the most discussion among workshop participants were those associated with primary and secondary work activities of scientists and engineers employed in industry, particularly with respect to management work activities.
From page 8...
... SOURCE: NSF/NCSES, SESTAT 2008. Research and development Management, sales, or administration Computer applications Teaching 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 White Asian Black Hispanic FIGURE 1.10 Primary/Secondary Work Activity of Scientists and Engineers Employed in Industry by Race/Ethnicity, 2008 (percent)
From page 9...
... . Asian men represented 5.8 percent of top-level managers, Asian women 2.2 percent, URM men 5.2 percent, URM women 4 percent, and "other" men and women (native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders and individuals reporting more than one race)
From page 10...
... 4 11 White men 6 White women 5 Asian men Asian women 8 URM men URM women 50 Other men Other women 25 FIGURE 1.12 (B) Scientists and Engineers Employed in Industry, by Sex and Race/Ethnicity, 2008.
From page 11...
... 14 Several workshop participants hypothesized that a disaggregation of these data by industry would show further variance. DISCUSSION OF DATA AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH Participants raised questions and made suggestions for future research that may provide a more comprehensive and nuanced picture of female and underrepresented minority scientists and engineers working in industry.
From page 12...
... One participant suggested that NSF might collaborate with other organizations that collect industry-specific data, such as the annual Aviation Week survey, thereby gaining access to more recent data. For discussions of primary and secondary work activity versus level of career attainment, Suzanne Jenniches, vice president and general manager (retired)
From page 13...
... The session concluded with Falkenheim's invitation for workshop participants to submit further feedback and suggestions for questions to include on future surveys on any topics of relevance, including questions about primary and secondary work activities. More focused and targeted questions may address a range of concerns and provide a more nuanced understanding of differences across fields, as well as a better understanding of what S&E employees actually do on their jobs.


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