[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 193 (Thursday, October 3, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 51723]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25347]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Proposed Data Collection: Comment Request; Title of Proposed 
Collection: National Survey of College Graduates

    In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on 
proposed data collection projects, the National Science Foundation 
(NSF) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. To request 
more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the 
data collection plans and instruments, call the NSF Clearance Officer 
on (703) 306-1243.
    Comments are invited on (a) whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology.
    Proposed Project: The National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG), 
formerly called National Survey of Natural and Social Scientists and 
Engineers, has been conducted biennially since the 1970's. In the 1997 
NSCG, persons identified as trained and/or working in science and 
engineering, who responded to the 1995 survey, will be contacted again. 
The purpose of this longitudinal study is to provide national estimates 
on the science and engineering workforce and changes in employment, 
education and demographic characteristics. The study is one of three 
components of the Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System 
(SESTAT), formerly called the Scientific and Technical Personnel Data 
System (STPDS), which produces national estimates of the size and 
characteristics of the nation's science and engineering population.
    The National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as subsequently 
amended, includes a statutory charge to ``* * * provide a central 
clearinghouse for the collection, interpretation, and analysis of data 
on scientific and engineering resources, and to provide a source of 
information for policy formulation by other agencies of the Federal 
Government.'' The National Survey of College Graduates is designed to 
comply with these mandates by providing information on the supply and 
utilization of nation's scientists and engineers. The NSCG provides the 
majority of records into the SESTAT data system. The NSF uses this 
information to prepare congressionally mandated reports such as Science 
and Engineering Indicators and Women and Minorities in Science and 
Engineering. A public release file of collected data, edited to protect 
respondent confidentiality, will be made available to researchers on 
CD-ROM and on the World Wide Web.
    The Bureau of the Census, as in the past, will conduct the study 
for NSF through an interagency agreement. Respondents from the 1995 
NSCG, who had at least a bachelor's degree in science engineering as of 
1990 Decennial Census, or who worked in science and engineering jobs as 
of April 1993, will be contacted in 1997. The sample design included 
oversampling of minority college graduate population and varying 
sampling rates to represent specific fields of science and engineering. 
Sample members will be sent mail questionnaires, and non-respondents to 
the mail questionnaire will be followed up by telephone or personal 
visit interview.
    The 1997 NSCG sample size will be about 53,000 and an unweighted 
response rate of 95 percent is anticipated (94 percent was obtained on 
the previous cycle). The amount of time required to complete the 
questionnaire may vary depending on individuals' circumstances but on 
the average, it will take about 25 minutes. The survey will be 
collected in conformance with the Privacy Act of 1974 and the 
individual's response to the survey will be entirely voluntary. NSF 
will insure that all information collected will be kept strictly 
confidential and will be used only for research or statistical 
purposes, analyzing data, and preparing scientific reports and 
articles.
    Send comments to Herman Fleming, National Science Foundation 
Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, 
Suite 485, Arlington, VA 22230.
    Writen comments should be received by December 1, 1996:

    Dated: September 30, 1996.
Herman G. Fleming,
NSF Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-25347 Filed 10-2-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M