Spring Break
U.S. stagnates in Ph.D. production
By: Matthews Watkins
Issue date: 7/27/05 Section: News
For years, the United States has been the world leader in Ph.D. production in the fields of science and engineering. However, the United States' dominance in these fields may be waning.
According to a report by the National Bureau of Economic Research, China is on track to surpass the United States as the leading producer of science and engineering degrees by 2010.
The report was written by Richard B. Freeman, the Herbert Ascherman Chair in economics at Harvard University and director of the Labor Studies Program at the National Bureau of Economic Research.
According to the report, in 1970 the United States granted more than half of the world's science and engineering doctoral degrees. By 2010, that number will likely drop to 15 percent.
Freeman said the United States' decrease in numbers is more a result of the growth of education worldwide than a decline in science and engineering education domestically.
"The number of science and engineering Ph.D.s from European and Asian universities - particularly China - has increased, while the number from U.S. universities has stagnated," Freeman said.
Mark Zoran, associate dean for graduate studies in the College of Science, said that he finds the numbers troubling.
"The declining numbers of U.S. undergraduates choosing advanced training, graduate education and careers in science and technology is a very serious problem, especially in the long term," he said.
Zoran said the declining numbers may affect Texas A&M.
"For those of us that administer graduate programs in the sciences, the impact is a declining pool of graduate applications from U.S. colleges and universities," he said. "Thus, the competition for the best and brightest of this shrinking pool is great."
Jimmy May, a sophomore aerospace engineering student, said the study was a cause of concern for him and his fellow A&M students.
"My concern is that the high-level technical jobs will no longer be as prevalent in the U.S., which might discourage - rather than encourage - more Americans from pursuing Ph.D.s in science and engineering," May said.
According to a report by the National Bureau of Economic Research, China is on track to surpass the United States as the leading producer of science and engineering degrees by 2010.
The report was written by Richard B. Freeman, the Herbert Ascherman Chair in economics at Harvard University and director of the Labor Studies Program at the National Bureau of Economic Research.
According to the report, in 1970 the United States granted more than half of the world's science and engineering doctoral degrees. By 2010, that number will likely drop to 15 percent.
Freeman said the United States' decrease in numbers is more a result of the growth of education worldwide than a decline in science and engineering education domestically.
"The number of science and engineering Ph.D.s from European and Asian universities - particularly China - has increased, while the number from U.S. universities has stagnated," Freeman said.
Mark Zoran, associate dean for graduate studies in the College of Science, said that he finds the numbers troubling.
"The declining numbers of U.S. undergraduates choosing advanced training, graduate education and careers in science and technology is a very serious problem, especially in the long term," he said.
Zoran said the declining numbers may affect Texas A&M.
"For those of us that administer graduate programs in the sciences, the impact is a declining pool of graduate applications from U.S. colleges and universities," he said. "Thus, the competition for the best and brightest of this shrinking pool is great."
Jimmy May, a sophomore aerospace engineering student, said the study was a cause of concern for him and his fellow A&M students.
"My concern is that the high-level technical jobs will no longer be as prevalent in the U.S., which might discourage - rather than encourage - more Americans from pursuing Ph.D.s in science and engineering," May said.
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