[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 56 (Friday, March 22, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10842-10843]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-05457]


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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. This is the second 
notice for public comment; the first was published in the Federal 
Register, and no comments were received. NSF is forwarding the proposed 
reinstatement submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for clearance simultaneously with the publication of this second 
notice. The full submission may be found at: http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

DATES: Comments regarding these information collections are best 
assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days of this 
notification.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 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 
Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, National Science 
Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314, or send email 
to [email protected]. Individuals who use a telecommunications device 
for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 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).
    Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling 703-292-
7556.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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.
    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 estimate 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 respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology should be addressed to the points 
of contact in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
    Title of Collection: Survey of Earned Doctorates.
    OMB Number: 3145-0019.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to extend, with revisions, 
an information collection.
    Abstract:
    Summary of Collection: The authority to collect information for the 
Survey of

[[Page 10843]]

Earned Doctorates (SED) is established under the National Science 
Foundation Act of 1950, as amended, Public Law 507 (42 U.S.C. 1862), 
Section 3(a)(6), which directs the NSF ``. . . 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 formation by other agencies of the federal 
government.'' The NCSES was established within NSF by Section 505 of 
the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 and given a broader 
mandate to collect data related to STEM education, the science and 
engineering workforce, and U.S. competitiveness in science, 
engineering, technology, and Research and Development. The SED is part 
of an integrated survey system that fulfills the education and 
workforce components of this mission.
    The SED has been conducted annually since 1958 and is jointly 
sponsored by four Federal agencies (NSF/NCSES, National Institutes of 
Health, U.S. Department of Education/National Center for Education 
Statistics, and National Endowment for the Humanities) to avoid 
duplication of effort in collecting such data. It is an accurate, 
timely source of information on an important national resource--
individuals with research doctorates. Data are obtained via Web survey 
or paper questionnaire from each person earning a research doctorate at 
the time they receive the degree. Graduate schools help distribute the 
SED to their graduating doctorate recipients. Data are collected on the 
doctorate recipient's field of specialty, educational background, 
sources of financial support in graduate school, debt level, 
postgraduation plans for employment, and demographic characteristics.
    The survey will be collected in conformance with the NSF Act of 
1950, as amended, and the Privacy Act of 1974. Responses from 
individuals are voluntary. NCSES will ensure that all individually 
identifiable information collected will be kept strictly confidential 
and will be used for research or statistical purposes, analyzing data, 
and preparing scientific reports and articles.
    Use of the Information: The Federal government, universities, 
researchers, and others use the information extensively. NCSES, as the 
lead agency, publishes statistics from the survey in several reports, 
but primarily in the annual publication series, ``Doctorate Recipients 
from U.S. Universities.'' These reports are available on the Web. NCSES 
also uses this information to prepare congressionally mandated reports 
such as Science and Engineering Indicators and Women, Minorities and 
Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering.
    Expected Respondents: The SED is a census of all individuals 
receiving a research doctorate in the U.S. in an academic year (AY). An 
estimated annual average of 56,764 individuals are expected to receive 
a research doctorate in AY 2020 (1 July 2019-30 June 2020) and AY 2021 
(1 July 2020-30 June 2021). Using the target response rate of 91% for 
the research doctorate recipients, the number of annual respondents is 
estimated to be 51,655. Additionally, SED requires collection of 
administrative data from an annual average of 619 Institutional 
Coordinators among approximately 450 doctorate-granting institutions.
    Estimate of Burden: Based on the average Web survey completion time 
of 20 minutes, the annual respondent burden for completing the SED is 
estimated at 17,218 hours. Based on focus groups conducted with 
Institutional Coordinators, which estimated approximately 20 hours for 
responding to SED requested administrative data over the course of a 
year. Therefore, the estimated annual burden to Institutional 
Coordinators is 12,380 hours. Therefore, the total annual estimated 
burden for the SED is 29,598 hours.
    Comment: On 29 October 2018 we published in the Federal Register 
(83 FR 209) a 60-day notice of our intent to request reinstatement of 
this information collection authority from OMB. In that notice, we 
solicited public comments for 60 days ending 28 December 2018. No 
comments were received from the public.

    Dated: March 18, 2019.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2019-05457 Filed 3-21-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P