[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 199 (Wednesday, October 14, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65078-65079]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-22626]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Notice of Intent To 
Seek Approval To Extend a Current Information Collection

AGENCY: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, 
National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics 
(NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing 
plans to request renewal of the Survey of Earned Doctorates (OMB No. 
3145-0019). In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, NCSES is providing opportunity for public 
comment on this action. After obtaining and considering public 
comments, NCSES will prepare the submission requesting that OMB approve 
clearance of this collection for three years.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by December 14, 
2020 to be assured consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable. Send comments to the 
address below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance 
Officer, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Suite 
W18200, 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 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: 
    Title of Collection: Survey of Earned Doctorates.
    OMB Control Number: 3145-0019.
    Expiration Date of Current Approval: April 30, 2022.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to extend an information 
collection for three years.
    Abstract: Established within the NSF by the America COMPETES 
Reauthorization Act of 2010 Sec.  505, codified in the NSF Act of 1950, 
as amended, the NCSES serves as a central Federal clearinghouse for the 
collection, interpretation, analysis, and dissemination of objective 
data on science, engineering, technology, and research and development 
for use by practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and the public.
    The Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) is part of NCSES' survey 
system that collects data on individuals in an effort to provide 
information on science and engineering education and careers in the 
United States. 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 one of our Nation's most important 
resources--highly educated individuals. This request to extend the 
information collection for three years is to cover the 2022 and 2023 
SED survey cycles.
    Data are obtained primarily via Web survey 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, and 
demographic characteristics. NCSES publishes statistics from the survey 
in several reports. The survey will be collected in conformance with 
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 only for 
research or statistical purposes.
    Use of the Information: The Federal government, universities, 
researchers, policy makers, and others use the information extensively. 
Results from the SED are used to assess characteristics of the 
doctorate population and trends in doctoral education and degrees. Data 
from the survey are published annually on the NCSES website in a 
publication series reporting on all fields of study, titled Doctorate 
Recipients from U.S. Universities. Information from the SED is also 
included in other series available online: Science and Engineering 
Indicators; and Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in 
Science and Engineering. In addition, access to tabular data from 
selected variables is available through the Integrated Data Tool, an 
online table-generating tool on the NCSES website.
    Expected Respondents: The SED is a census of all individuals 
receiving a research doctorate from an accredited U.S. academic 
institution in the academic year beginning 1 July and ending 30 June of 
the subsequent year. As such, the population for the 2022 SED consists 
of all individuals receiving a research doctorate in the 12-month 
period beginning 1 July 2021 and ending 30 June 2022. Likewise, the 
population for the 2023 SED consists of all individuals receiving a 
research doctorate in the 12-month period beginning 1 July 2022 and 
ending 30 June 2023. A research doctorate is a doctoral degree that (1) 
requires completion of an original intellectual contribution in the 
form of a dissertation or an equivalent culminating project (e.g., 
musical composition) and (2) is not primarily intended as a degree for 
the practice of a profession. The most common research doctorate degree 
is the Ph.D. Recipients of professional doctoral degrees, such as MD, 
DDS, JD, DPharm, and PsyD, are not included in the SED. The 2022 and 
2023 SED are expected to include about 600 separately reporting schools 
with eligible research doctoral programs from among about 454 
doctorate-granting institutions. Based on the historical trend, NCSES 
expects that approximately 57,000 individuals will receive a research 
doctorate from U.S. institutions in 2022, and approximately 58,000 in 
2023.
    In addition to the questionnaire for individuals receiving their 
research doctorates, the SED requires the collection of administrative 
data such as graduation lists from participating academic institutions. 
The Institutional Coordinator at the institution helps distribute the 
Web survey link, track survey completions, and submit information to 
the SED survey contractor.
    Estimate of Burden: A total response rate of 92% of the 55,703 
persons who earned a research doctorate from a U.S. institution was 
obtained in academic

[[Page 65079]]

year 2019. This level of response rate has been consistent for several 
years. Using the past response rate, the number of SED respondents in 
2022 is estimated to be 52,440 (57,000 doctorate recipients x 0.92 
response rate). Similarly, the number of respondents in 2023 is 
estimated to be 53,360 (58,000 x 0.92).
    Based on the average Web survey completion time for the 2020 SED 
(19 minutes), NCSES estimates that, on average, 20 minutes per 
respondent will be required to complete the 2022 or 2023 SED Web 
survey. The annual respondent burden for completing the SED is 
therefore estimated at 17,480 hours in 2022 (52,440 respondents x 20 
minutes) and 17,787 hours in 2023 (based on 53,360 respondents).
    Based on focus groups conducted with Institutional Coordinators, it 
is estimated that the SED demands no more than 1% of the Institutional 
Coordinator's time over the course of a year, which computes to 20 
hours per year per Institutional Coordinator (40 hours per week x 50 
weeks per year x .01). With about 600 schools expected to participate 
in the SED in 2022 and 2023, the estimated annual burden to 
Institutional Coordinators of administering the SED is 12,000 hours.
    Therefore, the total information burden for the SED is estimated to 
be 29,480 (17,480 + 12,000) hours in the 2022 survey cycle and 29,787 
(17,787 + 12,000) hours in the 2023 survey cycle. NCSES estimates that 
the average annual burden for the 2022 and 2023 survey cycles over the 
course of the three-year OMB clearance period will be no more than 
19,756 hours [(29,480 hours + 29,787 hours)/3 years].
    Comments: Comments are invited on (a) whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the NSF, including whether the information shall have 
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the NSF's estimate of the burden 
of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the 
quality, use, and clarity of the information on respondents, 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, electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

    Dated: October 7, 2020.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2020-22626 Filed 10-13-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P