Science And Engineering Programs

Based primarily on a conference, this book examines the need for interventions to increase the number of U.S. students, both males and females, pursuing careers in the sciences and engineering and describes interventions supported by the private and public sectors at the undergraduate and graduate levels of education. The individually authored chapters also describe actions taken by employers of scientists and engineers to retain their technical work force.

The quality of doctoral-level chemical engineering (N=79), civil engineering (N=74), electrical engineering (N=91), and mechanical engineering (N=82) programs at United States universities was assessed, using 16 measures. These measures focused on variables related to: (1) program size; (2) characteristics of graduates; (3) reputational factors (scholarly quality of faculty, effectiveness of programs in educating research scholars/scientists, improvement in program quality during the last 5 years); (4) university library size; (5) research support; and (6) publication records. Chapter I discusses prior attempts to assess quality in graduate education, development of the study plans, and the selection of disciplines and programs to be evaluated. Chapter II discusses the methodology used, focusing on each of the assessment measures. Chapters III to VI present, respectively, findings from the analyses of the chemical, civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering programs. Chapter VII includes a summary of results, correlations among measures, several additional analyses, and suggestions for future studies. Among the findings reported are those indicating that electrical engineering programs had, on the average, the largest number of faculty (N=23) in December 1980 and had graduated the most doctoral students (N=32) during fiscal years 1975-1979. (Survey instruments and supporting documentation are included in appendices.) (JN)