[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 157 (Tuesday, August 14, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40340-40341]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-17359]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, and as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, the 
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within 
the National Science Foundation (NSF) is inviting the general public or 
other Federal agencies to comment on this proposed continuing 
information collection. The NCSES will publish periodic summaries of 
the proposed projects.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by October 15, 
2018 to be assured consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable. Send comments to address 
below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance 
Officer, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Suite 
W18253, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone (703) 292-7556; or send 
email to [email protected]. Individuals who use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal

[[Page 40341]]

Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339, which is accessible 
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (including Federal 
holidays).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments: Comments are invited on (a) 
whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the NCSES, including whether the 
information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 
NCSES'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, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (d) 
ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Title of Collection: 2019 Survey of Doctorate Recipients.
    OMB Approval Number: 3145-0020.
    Expiration Date of Approval: June 30, 2020.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to renew an information 
collection for three years.
    1. Abstract. The Survey of Doctorate Recipients (SDR) has been 
conducted biennially since 1973 and is a longitudinal survey. The 2019 
SDR will consist of a sample of individuals under 76 years of age who 
have earned a research doctoral degree in a science, engineering or 
health (SEH) field from a U.S. institution. The purpose of this panel 
survey is to collect data that will be used to provide national 
estimates on the doctoral science and engineering workforce and changes 
in their employment, education and demographic characteristics.
    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 SDR is designed to comply with these mandates by 
providing information on the supply and utilization of the nation's 
doctoral level scientists and engineers.
    Data will be obtained by web survey, mail questionnaire, and 
computer-assisted telephone interviews beginning in February 2019. The 
survey will be collected in conformance with the Confidential 
Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 and the 
individual's response to the survey is voluntary. NCSES will ensure 
that all information collected will be kept strictly confidential and 
will be used only for statistical purposes.
    2. Use of the Information. NCSES uses the information from the SDR 
to prepare congressionally mandated reports such as Women, Minorities 
and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering and Science 
and Engineering Indicators. NCSES publishes statistics from the SDR in 
many reports, but primarily in the biennial series, Characteristics of 
Scientists and Engineers with U.S. Doctorates. A public release file of 
collected data, designed to protect respondent confidentiality, also 
will be made available to researchers on the internet.
    3. Expected Respondents. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) previously directed that NCSES enhance and expand the sample to 
measure employment outcomes by the fine field of degree taxonomy used 
in the Survey of Earned Doctorates. This was initiated in the 2015 
cycle and maintained in the 2017 cycle. For the 2019 SDR, a statistical 
sample of approximately 120,000 individuals with U.S. earned doctorates 
in science, engineering or health will be contacted. This sample will 
include approximately 106,400 individuals residing in the U.S. and 
13,600 residing abroad. NCSES expects the overall 2019 SDR response 
rate to be approximately 75 percent.
    4. Estimate of Burden. The amount of time to complete the 
questionnaire may vary depending on an individual's circumstances; 
however, on average, it takes approximately 25 minutes. Thus, NCSES 
estimates that the total annual burden for both components will be 
37,500 hours (that is, 120,000 respondents at 75% response rate for 25 
minutes).

    Dated: August 8, 2018.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2018-17359 Filed 8-13-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P