NORC conducts the Survey of Doctorate Recipients (SDR) for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The SDR is a survey of 40,000 science and engineering doctorate recipients who earned their degrees from institutions within the United States. This study is the only source of data on the careers of science and engineering doctorate holders from US institutions, and it provides key data on the education and training, work experience, career development, and demographics of this important population.
The SDR sample is selected from the Doctorate Records File (DRF), a record of all research doctorate recipients from U.S. universities since 1920. The DRF is updated annually based on data collected by the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED). The SED is also conducted by NORC for the NSF, the NIH, and four other federal agencies.
The SDR employs an innovative mixed-mode data collection protocol that strategically integrates a traditional paper questionnaire with Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) and Web-based data collection instruments. SDR data are incorporated into NSF’s Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System (SESTAT). Published data products for each round of the SDR include Information Briefs and Detailed Statistical Tables.
Recent Publications
Milan, L., and Hoffer, T. 2012. Racial and Ethnic Diversity among U.S.-Educated Science, Engineering, and Health Doctorate Recipients: Methods of Reporting Diversity, NSF 12-304. Arlington, VA: National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics. Available at:
http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf12304/ Hoffer, T., Milesi, C., Selfa, L., Grigorian, K., Foley, D., Milan, L., and Rivers, E. 2011. Unemployment Among Doctoral Scientists and Engineers Remained Below the National Average in 2008, NSF 11-308. Arlington, VA: National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics. Available at:
http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf11308/
Hoffer, T., Sederstrom, S., and Harper, D. 2011. The End of Mandatory Retirement for Doctoral Scientists and Engineers in Postsecondary Institutions: Retirement Patterns 10 Years Later, NSF 11-302. Arlington, VA: National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics. Available at:
http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf11302/
Bound, J., Turner, S., Walsh, P. 2009. "An Analysis of Markets and Employment." in
Science and Engineering Careers in the United States. (Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 2009). Available at
http://www.nber.org/papers/w14792
Foley, D., Project Officer 2009. Characteristics of Doctoral Scientists and Engineers in the United States: 2006, NSF 09-317. Arlington, VA: National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics. Available at:
http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/nsf09317/
Ginther, D.K., Schaffer, W.T., Schnell, J., Masimore, B., Liu, F., Haak, L.L., and Kington, Raynard R.S., 2009. "Diversity in Academic Biomedicine: An Evaluation of Education and Career Outcomes with Implications for Policy." Available at
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048733311000552
Hoffer, T., Grigorian, K. and Hedberg, E. 2008. Postdoc Participation of Science, Engineering, and Health Doctorate Recipients, NSF 08-307. Arlington, VA: National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics. Available at:
http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf08307/
Stephan, P.E., Gurmu, S., Sumell, A.J., and Black, G. 2007. "WHO'S PATENTING IN THE UNIVERSITY? EVIDENCE FROM THE SURVEY OF DOCTORATE RECIPIENTS,"
Economics of Innovation and New Technology 16 (2007). Available at:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10438590600982806 Tsapogas, J., Project Officer. 2006. Characteristics of Doctoral Scientists and Engineers in the United States: 2003, NSF 06-320. Arlington, VA: National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics. Available at:
http://nsf.gov/statistics/nsf06320/
Hoffer, T. and Grigorian, K. 2005. InfoBrief: All in a Week's Work: Average Workweeks of Doctoral Scientists and Engineers. Washington, DC: National Science Foundation, SBE-Division of Science Resource Statistics. Available at:
http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf06302/
Hoffer, T. 2004. InfoBrief: Employment Sector, Salaries, Publishing, and Patenting Activities of S&E Doctorate Holders. Washington, DC: National Science Foundation, SBE-Division of Science Resource Statistics. Available at:
http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf04328/