Current Trends in the Geoscience Workforce College of William & Mary

Roman Czujko Statistical Research Center American Institute of Physics

Acknowledgements

Data Sources AMS, AIP, AGU, AGI, NSF, US Dept. of Education

AIP Staff Raymond Chu

Julius Dollison

Degree Production Over Time

Early Careers

S&E Workforce and International Competitiveness

What Can Departments Do?

1985 1989 1993 1997 2000 20040

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

80000

90000

100000

EngineeringBiolog SciComp SciMathChemistryGeosciPhysics

Source AIP Statistical Research Center compiled data from NSF WebCASPAR Database System

Total number of bachelor's degrees granted by discipline, 1985-2004.

Bachelors degrees in solid earth and all geosciences, 1967-2004.

67&68 73&74 79&80 85&86 91&92 97&98 03&04

Academic Year

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

AIP Statistical Research Center compiled from data collected by the National Center for Education Statistics.

Solid Earth

All Geosciences

2 year averages 1967 & 68 through 2003 & 04.

Bachelors degrees in atmospheric science and oceanography.

67&68 73&74 79&80 85&86 91&92 97&98 03&04

Academic Year

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

AIP Statistical Research Center compiled from data collected by the National Center for Education Statistics.

Atmospheric science

Oceanography

2 year averages 1967 & 68 through 2003 & 04.

1973 1978 1983 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004

Year of PhD degree

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900Temporary VisasUS Citizens

Number of geoscience PhDs awardedby citizenship, 1973 - 2004.

AIP Statistical Research Center compiled from data collected by the National Center for Education Statistics

Number

PhD degrees in atmospheric science, environmental science, and oceanography.

73&74 79&80 85&86 91&92 97&98 03&04

Academic Year

0

40

80

120

160

200OceanographyAtmospheric scienceEnvironmental science

AIP Statistical Research Center compiled from data collected by the National Center for Education Statistics.

2 year averages 1973 & 74 through 2003 & 04.

Percentage of Bachelor’s Degrees Awarded to Women by Fine Field,

Two-Year Averages1987-1988

%

2000-2001%

Oceanography 18 50

Geology 24 42

Earth & Planetary Sciences 25 42

Atmospheric Science & 17 26

Meteorology

Percentage of PhDs Earned by Women by Fine Field, Two-Year

Averages1989-1990

%

2001-2002%

Oceanography 23 39

Earth Sciences 19 29

Astronomy & Astrophysics 15 21

Atmospheric Sciences 14 25

Early Careers

Fact or Urban Myth?

Undergraduates and their parents are greedy.They choose college majors based on maximizing salary potential.

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65

Starting Salary in Thousands

Chemical EngineeringElectrical Engineering

Computer ScienceMechanical Engineering

Geology

MathematicsCivil Engineering

AccountingFinance

Business Admin.

ChemistryMarketing

Environmental ScienceLife Sciences

Seconday School Educ.

What's a Bachelor's Degree Worth?Job offers for 2005-06 graduates

AIP Statistical Research Center compiled from data collected by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Demand in the S&E Workforce Is Cyclical

And It Is Uneven

2005 Salaries for Early Career Atmospheric Scientists Type of Employment and Degree Level, 2005

Bachelors Degrees Typical Salaries Median (less than 5 years) (in thousands) Age Broadcast Meteor. (tv) 24.8 to 42.0 26 Private Sector 25.0 to 39.3 25 Federal Government 34.0 to 50.0 26

Masters Degrees (< 5 Yrs) Private Sector 44.0 to 70.5 30 Federal Government 42.0 to 63.0 29

Typical Salaries are the middle 50% of all salaries reported by full-time employedSource: 2005 AMS Membership Survey

2005 Salaries for PhD Atmospheric Scientists Employed in Universities, 2005

Typical Salaries Median (in thousands) Age

Postdocs <2 Years 40.0 to 45.5 34

Assistant Professors 9-10 month contract 52.0 to 70.0 37 11-12 month contract 61.5 to 79.0 39

Typical Salaries are the middle 50% of all salaries reported by full-time employed

Source: 2005 AMS Membership Survey

Opinions about their Current Positions Expressed by the Atmospheric Science Workforce, 2005

Percent Who Agree U.S. Residents Abroad

My Job: Is professionally challenging 95 Utilizes my knowledge of atmospheric science 91 Provides opp’ties for advancement 73My workplace is welcoming 87 I would recommend my workplace to others 87My compensation is fair 80

Source: 2005 AMS Membership Survey

New Geoscience PhDs’ Opinions About First Position

Percent Who AgreedMy current position is: %

Professionally challenging 94

Commensurate with my education 94

Related to my field 94

Source: AGU & AGI Survey of new PhDs in the geosciences

Skills Used Very Often by New Geoscience PhDs, 2003

Used Very Often %

Cognitive skills (e.g. analytical thinking) 88Technical skills (e.g. modeling & simulation) 84Knowledge of Broad Geoscience Concepts 81Knowledge of Dissertation Field 75Management skills 62

Respondents were asked to rate the extent to which they used the above skills. The data reflect the percent who indicated either often or extensively.Source: AGI & AGU Survey of New PhDs.

International Competitiveness

“Rising Above the Gathering Storm” National Academies, October 2005

20 Recommendations in four areas:

1. Add 10,000 science and math teachers in K-122. Increase federal investment in science and engineering research3. Attract and retain best and brightest for study and research in science and engineering4. Encourage innovation through incentives

Protect America’s Competitive Edge Act 3-bill package in senate to implement all 20 NAS recommendations, January 2006

American Competitiveness Initiative State of Union address, President Bush, 2006

The number of jobs requiring technical skills isincreasing and fewer Americans are entering degreeprograms in science, math and engineering.

Craig Barrett, Chair of IntelBusiness Week, December 2005

National Innovation Initiative 140 business, political and education leaders Wall Street Journal and Washington Post, Feb. 2006

Supply Innovation

Employment Innovation

What Can Departments Do?

Keep track of your own graduates

Recruitment of students & parents

Show current students that you care

Powerful info for talks with the Dean

Periodic assessment of curriculum

“There is no shortage of claims of shortage.”

Michael Teitelbaum, Sloan Foundation

Thank You