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The National Center for Scienceand Engineering Statistics

CNSTAT Workshop on R&D in the U.S. Nonprofit SectorJune 30, 2014

Mr. John R. GawaltDivision Director

National Science FoundationNational Center for Science and Engineering Statistics

www.nsf.gov/statistics/

The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) was established within the National Science Foundation by Section 505 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010. 

NCSES is one of 13 principal federal statistical agencies and is responsible for statistical data on:

• Research and development• The science and engineering workforce• U.S. competitiveness in science, engineering, technology, and R&D• The condition and progress of STEM education in the United States 

National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics

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National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics

Core functions:

• The collection, analysis, and dissemination of statistical data about the U.S. science and engineering enterprise

• Development and production of congressionally mandated reports: Science and Engineering Indicators, andWomen, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering

• Support of research that uses NCSES data• Support of methodological research in areas related to NCSES’s work• Education and training of researchers in the use of large‐scale 

nationally representative data sets

Organizational Placement of NCSES

National Science Foundation

Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences

National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics

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Staff and Contract Resources

NCSES has about 47 permanent staff:

• Survey managers• Statisticians• Analysts• Writers/Editors• Web site and database developers• Administrative support staff

Surveys are conducted under contract or interagency agreement, none are done in‐house

Publications and Products 

InfoBriefs ‐ highlight results from recent surveys and analyses

Detailed Statistical Tables – tabular data and technical material, usually for a particular survey and survey year

Special analytic reports ‐

Congressionally mandated biennial reports:• Science and Engineering Indicators (even numbered years)• Women, Minorities, and Persons With Disabilities in Science and Engineering (odd numbered years)

Other reports:• Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities• National Patterns of R&D Resources

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Publications and Products (continued)

Online Databases:

• SESTAT (Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System)• WebCASPAR (Web Computer‐Aided Science Policy Analysis and Research) database system

• IRIS (Industrial R&D Information System)• Other data‐driven applications

• Academic Institutional Profiles• State S&E Profiles• State Data Tool (S&E Indicators)

Data files:

• Public Use Files• Restricted Use Data Files (licensed datasets)

http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/

NCSES Surveys

Education and Workforce Surveys

- Survey of Doctorate Recipients (SDR)

- National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG)

- Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED)

- Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering (GSS)

- Survey of Postdocs at Federally Funded Research and Development Centers

- Early Career Doctorates Survey (ECD)

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Research and Development Surveys

- Higher Education Research and Development Survey (HERD)

- Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development (Federal Funds)

- Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges and Nonprofit Institutions (Federal Support)

- Survey of Science and Engineering Research Facilities (Facilities)

- Business R&D and Innovation Survey (BRDIS)

- Survey of State Government R&D (State R&D)

- Nonprofit Research and Development Survey

Key NCSES Interests in a New Nonprofit R&D Survey

Lack of recent data on R&D performance by nonprofit organizations has been a longstanding shortcoming in NCSES’ National Patterns of R&D series. National Patterns presents trend data on the total R&D effort in the U.S. Information includes R&D expenditures by source of funds, sector of performance, S&E employed in R&D, and international comparisons. Filling the nonprofit R&D data gap is:

• One of the driving inspirations for this CNSTAT workshop

• Subject of CNSTAT recommendations in its 2013 report on National Patterns methodology

A new nonprofit R&D survey would likely generate data on both nonprofit R&D performance and funding. But is important to appreciate the National Patterns priority need for new data on nonprofit R&D performance.

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Key NCSES Interests in a New Nonprofit R&D Survey

We look forward to the insights and suggestions from this workshop on how we might effectively and efficiently measure the nonprofit sector’s role(s) in the overall U.S. R&D enterprise:

- Through periodic surveys of the sector

- Other empirical indicators we may be able to draw upon in the years that new survey data are not available

Thank You

John R. Gawaltjgawalt@nsf.gov