[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 250 (Friday, December 27, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68306-68307]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-32932]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Submission for OMB Review: Comment Request

    Title of Proposed Collection: Survey of Doctorate Recipients.

[[Page 68307]]

    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. Such a 
notice was published at Federal Register 51723, dated; October 3, 1996. 
No comments were received.
    The materials are now being sent to OMB for Review. Send any 
written comments to Desk Officer, OMB, 3145-0020, OIRA, Office of 
management and Budget, Washington, DC 20503. Comments should be 
received by February 4, 1996.
    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 Survey of Doctorate Recipients (SDR) has been 
conducted biennially since 1973. For the 1997 cycle, a sample of 
individuals under the age of 76 who have earned doctoral degrees in 
science and engineering from U.S. institutions will be surveyed. The 
purpose of the study is to provide national estimates describing the 
relationship between education and employment for Ph.D. recipients in 
science and engineering. 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).
    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 Survey of Doctorate Recipients is designed to comply 
with these mandates by providing information on the supply and 
utilization of doctorate level scientists and engineers. Collected data 
will be used to produce estimates of the characteristics of these 
individuals. They will also provide necessary input into the SESTAT 
labor force model, which produces national estimates of the size and 
characteristics of the country's science and engineering population. 
The Foundation uses this information to prepare congressionally 
mandated reports such as Women and Minorities in Science and 
Engineering and Science and Engineering Indicators. A public release 
file of collected data, designed to protect respondent confidentiality, 
is expected to be made available to researchers on CD-ROM and on the 
World Wide Web.
    The survey sample design includes oversampling of recent Ph.D. 
recipients and minority recipients and varying sampling rates to 
represent specific fields of science and engineering. A total of 
approximately 58,000 individuals is expected to be sampled for the 
survey. Sample members will be requested to complete a 30 minute 
interview conducted by computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) 
or mail. An unweighted response rate of 85 percent is anticipated. The 
survey will be collected in conformance with the Privacy Act of 1974. 
Each sample member's participation 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.

    Dated: December 23, 1996.
Herman G. Fleming,
NSF Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-32932 Filed 12-26-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M