NATIONAL SCIENCE BOARD 2020 SCIENCE & ENGINEERING INDICATORS The State of U.S. Science & Engineering National Science Board Diane L. Souvaine, NSB Chair Victor R. McCrary Professor of Computer Science and Adjunct Professor Vice President for Research and Graduate Programs; of Mathematics Professor of Chemistry Tufts University University of the District of Columbia Ellen Ochoa, NSB Vice Chair Emilio F. Moran Director (retired) John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor of Global Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Change Science Michigan State University Sethuraman Panchanathan John L. Anderson Executive Vice President and Chief Research and Innovation President Officer of Knowledge Enterprise Development; Director of the National Academy of Engineering Center for Cognitive Ubiquitous Computing Arizona State University Roger N. Beachy Professor Emeritus of Biology G. P. “Bud” Peterson Washington University, St. Louis Professor, Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology Arthur Bienenstock Professor Emeritus of Photon Science Julia M. Phillips Stanford University Executive Emeritus Sandia National Laboratories Vicki L. Chandler Dean of Faculty Daniel A. Reed Minerva Schools at KGI Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs (Provost) University of Utah Maureen L. Condic Associate Professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy Geraldine L. Richmond University of Utah, School of Medicine Presidential Chair in Science and Professor of Chemistry University of Oregon W. Kent Fuchs President Anneila I. Sargent University of Florida Ira S. Bowen Professor of Astronomy California Institute of Technology Suresh V. Garimella President S. Alan Stern University of Vermont Associate Vice President and Special Assistant to the President Robert M. Groves Southwest Research Institute Provost and Executive Vice President; Gerard J. Campbell, S.J. Professor in the Math and Statistics Department; Stephen H. Willard Professor in the Sociology Department CEO Georgetown University Cellphire, Inc. James S. Jackson Maria T. Zuber Daniel Katz Distinguished University Professor of Psychology; Vice President for Research Professor of Afro-American and African Studies; Research Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor, Research Center for Group Dynamics, Institute for Social Research University of Michigan France A. Córdova, Member ex officio Steven Leath Director President (retired) National Science Foundation Iowa State University and Auburn University W. Carl Lineberger Fellow of JILA and E. U. Condon Distinguished Professor John J. Veysey, II, Executive Officer of Chemistry Board Office Director University of Colorado National Science Board NATIONAL SCIENCE BOARD 2020 SCIENCE & ENGINEERING INDICATORS The State of U.S. Science & Engineering January 2020 NSB-2020-1 Preface The National Science Board (Board) is required under the The indicators presented in the report are quantitative National Science Foundation (NSF) Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1863 (j) (1) representations relevant to the scope, quality, and vitality of to prepare and transmit the biennial Science and Engineering the S&E enterprise. Indicators (Indicators) report to the President and Congress every even-numbered year. The report is prepared by the With the 2020 edition, Indicators is being redesigned to be National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics maximally useful and accessible to a wide audience while (NCSES) within NSF under the guidance of the Board. It is maintaining the high quality of previous editions. It is being subject to extensive review by Board members, outside transformed from a single, voluminous report into a series experts, interested federal agencies, and NCSES internal of streamlined reports. Indicators 2020 will consist of nine reviewers for accuracy, coverage, and balance. thematic reports produced and published beginning in the fall of 2019. In addition, The State of U.S. Science and Indicators provides information on the state of the U.S. Engineering, which highlights the key findings from the science and engineering (S&E) enterprise over time and within Indicators 2020 thematic reports, will be delivered to the a global context. Indicators is a factual and policy-neutral President and Congress on 15 January 2020 in fulfillment of source of high-quality U.S. and international data; it does the congressional mandate. not offer policy options or make policy recommendations. Table of Contents Executive Summary . 2 Introduction . 3 U .S . and Global Education . 4 K–12 Mathematics and Science Degree Awards Internationally Mobile Students and Stay Rates U .S . S&E Workforce . 6 Workforce Growth and Employment Sector Women and Underrepresented Minorities Foreign-Born Scientists and Engineers Skilled Technical Workforce Global R&D . 8 Where Growth Intensity U .S . R&D Performance and Funding . 10 Performance and Funding Trends Type of R&D Federal R&D Global Science and Technology Capabilities . 12 Research Publications International Research Collaboration Knowledge- and Technology-Intensive Industry Output Invention, Innovation, and Perceptions of Science . 14 Invention Innovation Americans’ Perceptions about Science Conclusion . 16 Glossary . 17 Definitions Key to Acronyms and Abbreviations References . 20 Detailed Figure Notes . 22 Explore Further . 24 Acknowledgments and Citation . 25 https://ncses.nsf.gov/indicators/ 1 Executive Summary The State of U.S. Science and Engineering shows that the Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) U.S. S&E enterprise continues to advance along several competencies in elementary, secondary, and post-secondary dimensions. The United States continues to perform the schooling are an important component of the pathway to largest share of global research and development (R&D), an S&E-capable workforce. U.S. eighth graders continue to generate the largest share of R&D-intensive industry output rank in the middle of advanced economies in international globally, award the largest number of S&E doctoral degrees, mathematics and science assessments. Similarly, U.S. and account for significant shares of S&E research articles national assessments of mathematics show little to no and citations worldwide. However, other nations, particularly growth in scores over the past decade. At the same time, for China, are rapidly developing their science and technology higher education, the United States remains the destination (S&T) capacity. The changing global landscape affects the for the largest number of internationally mobile students. position of the United States relative to the other major global Foreign-born noncitizens make up a considerable proportion players. For example, the United States has seen its relative of S&E doctorate recipients, including half or more of the share of global S&T activity remain unchanged or shrink, even doctorate recipients in engineering, mathematics and as its absolute activity levels have continued to rise. computer sciences, and economics. Many of these students stay in the United States after graduation. As such, foreign- Although total U.S. R&D investment has grown, funding and born individuals account for a sizeable share of U.S. S&E performance patterns have changed. Since 2000, the rise employment, particularly among workers with in U.S. R&D was driven mainly by the business sector, which graduate degrees. continues to perform and fund most of the overall R&D in the United States, as well as most of the applied research and Although The State of U.S. Science and Engineering does not experimental development. During this period, the share of forecast future outcomes, the data clearly show the evolution U.S. R&D funded by the federal government has declined. This of the United States in the global S&E enterprise. Increasingly, decline is notable as federally funded R&D is an important the United States is seen globally as an important leader source of support, particularly for the higher education sector rather than the uncontested leader. Whether and how long the and for the nation’s basic research enterprise. current global trends continue is an important question that will be affected by the overall S&E environment, along with The U.S. S&E workforce continues to grow overall. The the economic, social, and political forces that shape the S&E number of women and underrepresented minorities (URMs)— environment in the United States and around the world. blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians or Alaska Natives— has grown. However, these groups remain underrepresented in the S&E workforce relative to their overall presence in the workforce and the population. 2 SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING INDICATORS 2020 Introduction Contributions from and innovation in S&T over many decades higher education, S&E workforce, S&E publications, R&D have resulted in dramatic improvements to American lives, investment, academic R&D, R&D-intensive industries, including enhanced living standards and life expectancy, innovation, and public perceptions of S&T. These thematic better access to information and connectivity across the reports along with the detailed underlying data are available globe, and increased access to and affordability of consumer online at https://ncses.nsf.gov/indicators/. This report, goods (Baumol 1989; Cutler and McClellan 2001; Gordon The State of U.S. Science and Engineering, highlights the key 2012; Alston, Beddow, and Pardey 2009). Even though the findings and indicators from the Indicators 2020 thematic transformative nature of S&T is not free of risks (e.g., privacy