[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 54 (Tuesday, March 21, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14253-14254]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-2657]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION:  Submission for OMB review; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the 
following information collection requirement to OMB for review and 
clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13. 
This is the second notice for public comment; the first was published 
in the Federal Register at 70 FR 75228, and twenty-six (26) comments 
were received. NSF is forwarding the proposed renewal submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance simultaneously with 
the publication of this second notice. Comments regarding (a) whether 
the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance 
of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will 
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimated of 
burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information 
to be collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to responded, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology should 
be addressed to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB, 
Attention: Desk Officer for National Science Foundation, 725-17th 
Street, NW., Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, and to Suzanne H. 
Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 
Wilson Boulevard, Suite 295, Arlington, Virginia 22230 or send e-mail 
to [email protected]. Comments regarding these information collections 
are best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days 
of this notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by 
calling 703-292-7556.
    NSF may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless 
the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control 
number and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to 
the collection of information that such persons are not required to 
respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Comment: On December 19, 2005, we published in the Federal Register 
(70 FR 75228) a 60-day notice of our intent to request renewal of this 
information collection authority from OMB. In that notice, we solicited 
public comments for 60 days ending February 17, 2006. Twenty-six (26) 
comments were received in response to the public notice. One comment 
came from B. Sachau of Florham Park, NJ, via e-mail on December 19, 
2005. Ms. Sachau objected to the information collection but had no 
specific suggestions for altering the data collection plans other than 
to discontinue them entirely.
    Response: NSF believes that because the comment does not pertain to 
the collection of information on the required forms for which NSF is 
seeking OMB approval, NSF is proceeding with the clearance request.
    Comment: Public comments have been received by NSF from 23 persons 
in response to the announcement, as of the close-out date of February 
17, 2006. These all were the same e-mail (distributed at the National 
Communication Association meeting) that proposed breaking apart the 
Commission fields and placing them in 3 separate categories on the SED 
Field of Study List. In addition, SRS directly received 2 e-mails from 
individuals in the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass 
Communication who opposed the National Communication Association 
proposal for the Field of Study listing.
    Response: NSF has taken these suggestions (along with other 
suggestions received on the same topic) into consideration concerning 
the placement of the field of Communication on the Field of Study list 
for respondents to select their bachelor's, master's and doctorate 
degree field of study.
    Title of Collection: Survey of Earned Doctorates.
    OMB Approval Number: 3145-0019.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to extend an information 
collection for three years.
    1. Abstract: 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 Earned Doctorates is part of an 
integrated survey system that meets the human resources part of this 
mission.
    The Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) has been conducted 
continuously since 1958 and is jointly sponsored by six Federal 
agencies in order to avoid duplication. It is an accurate, timely 
source of information on our Nation's most precious resource--highly 
educated individuals. Data are obtained via paper questionnaire or Web 
option from each person earning a research doctorate at the time they 
receive the degree. Data are collected on their field of specialty, 
educational background, sources of support in graduate school, debt 
level, postgraduation plans for employment, and demographic 
characteristics. For the 2007 SED, minor changes to questions, based on 
focus group and cognitive testing will be incorporated into the 
questionnaire. Also for 2007, a field test of potential questions about 
salary after graduation will be conducted with less than 9 
institutions. Based on the field test results, the intention is to add 
a salary question in 2008.
    The Federal Government, universities, researchers, and others use 
the information extensively. The National Science Foundation, as the 
lead agency, publishes statistics from the survey in many reports, but 
primarily in the annual publication series, ``Science and Engineering 
Doctorates''. The National

[[Page 14254]]

Opinion Research Corporation at the University of Chicago disseminates 
a free interagency report entitled ``Doctorate Recipients from U.S. 
Universities: Summary Report.'' These reports are available in print 
and electronically on the World Wide Web.
    The survey will be collected in conformance with the Privacy Act of 
1974. Responses from individuals are voluntary. NSF will ensure that 
all information collected will be kept strictly confidential and will 
be used for research and statistical purposes, analyzing data, and 
preparing scientific reports and articles.
    2. Expected Respondents: A total response rate of 90.8% of the 
total 42,155 persons who earned a research doctorate was obtained in 
the 2004 SED. This level of response rate has been consistent for 
several years. The respondents will be individuals and the estimated 
number of respondents annually is 47,787 with a response rate of 92%.
    3. Estimate of Burden: The Foundation estimates that, on average, 
19 minutes per respondent will be required to complete the survey, for 
a toal of 12,465 hours for all respondents (based on the 2004 SED 
numbers). Also, for the approximately 3,000 respondents in the field 
test on a salary question, there would be approximately another 50 
hours of response time. The total response burden is therefore 
estimated at 12,171 hours for the 2007 SED. This is slightly higher 
than the last annual estimate approved by OMB due primarily to an 
increased number of respondents since the last clearance request.

    Dated: March 15, 2006.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 06-2657 Filed 3-20-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M