About Science Resources Statistics (SRS)

The Division of Science Resources Statistics (SRS) fulfills the legislative mandate of the National Science Foundation Act 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...

To carry out this mandate, SRS designs, supports, and directs about 11 periodic surveys as well as a variety of other data collections and research projects. These activities yield the materials for SRS staff to compile, analyze, and disseminate quantitative information about domestic and international resources devoted to science, engineering, and technology. Each year SRS produces about 30 publications, which can be roughly divided into the following categories:

• InfoBriefs highlighting results from recent surveys and analyses;
• Detailed Statistical Tables (DSTs) containing extensive tabulated data from a particular survey;
• Periodic "overview" reports, such as Science and Engineering Indicators, National Patterns of R&D Resources, and Women, Minorities, and Persons With Disabilities in Science and Engineering; and
• Special reports, such as Interstate Migration Patterns of Recent Recipients of Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Science and Engineering and Gender Differences in the Careers of Academic Scientists and Engineers.

Many of SRS's activities involve collaboration with other Federal agencies or with international organizations. SRS participates actively in the Federal statistical community, serving on interagency committees and funding joint activities. Several surveys are partially funded by other agencies including the National Institutes of Health, the National Center for Education Statistics, the Department of Energy, the National Endowment of Humanities, the Department of Agriculture, and NASA. SRS works collaboratively with international organizations such as OECD and UNESCO to improve the extent and comparability of data on the S&E enterprise across countries.

In addition to the SRS surveys, designed and managed by SRS staff and conducted primarily by contractors or the Bureau of the Census, the Division also supports a small program of extramural research on both methodological and substantive areas related to the work of SRS. The Division also supports several programs that encourage the training and development of additional researchers to analyze SRS data, through training workshops, small grants, and fellows programs.