About the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES)
The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES), formerly the Division of Science Resources Statistics, was established within the National Science Foundation by Section 505 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (246 KB). The name signals the central role of NCSES in the collection, interpretation, analysis, and dissemination of objective data on the science and engineering enterprise.
Data collections related to U.S. competitiveness and STEM education are part of these new responsibilities. NCSES is responsible for statistical data on the following:
- 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
As one of 13 federal statistical agencies, NCSES designs, supports, and directs periodic national surveys and performs a variety of other data collections and research. The following activities form the core of NCSES work:
- The collection, acquisition, analysis, reporting, and dissemination of statistical data related to the United States and other nations
- Support of research that uses NCSES data
- Methodological research in areas related to its work
- Education and training of researchers in the use of large-scale nationally representative data sets
Many of the activities of NCSES involve collaboration with other federal agencies or with international organizations. NCSES participates actively in the federal statistical community, serving on interagency committees and funding joint activites. NCSES works collaboratively with international organizations, such as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), to improve the extent and comparability of data on the science and engineering enterprise across countries.