[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 181 (Monday, September 19, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64206-64207]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-22402]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans to
request renewal of the Survey of Doctorate Recipients (OMB No.: 3145-
0020). In accordance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), we are providing
opportunity for public comment on this action. After obtaining and
considering public comment, NSF 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 November 18,
2016 to be assured consideration. Comments received after that date
will be considered to the extent practicable.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports
Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard,
Suite 1265, Arlington, Virginia 22230; 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). You may also obtain a copy of the data collection instrument
and instructions from Ms. Plimpton.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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.
Title of Collection: Survey of Doctorate Recipients.
[[Page 64207]]
OMB Approval Number: 3145-0020.
Expiration Date of Approval: August 31, 2018.
Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to extend an information
collection for three years.
Abstract: The Survey of Doctorate Recipients (SDR) has been
conducted biennially since 1973 and is a longitudinal survey. The 2017
SDR will consist of a sample of individuals less than 76 years of age
who have earned a research doctoral degree in a science, engineering or
health (SEH) field from a U.S. institution. The purpose of this panel
survey is to collect data that will be used to provide national
estimates on the doctoral science and engineering workforce and changes
in their employment, education and demographic characteristics. The SDR
is sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering
Stataistics (NCSES) within the NSF and the National Institutes of
Health. Data will be obtained by web survey, mail questionnaire, and
computer-assisted telephone interviews beginning in February 2017.
Information from the SDR are used in assessing the quality and supply
of the nation's SEH personnel resources for educational institutions,
private industry, and professional organizations, as well as federal,
state, and local governments. A public release file of the collected
data, designed to protect respondent confidentiality, will be made
available to researchers, reporters, and other interested persons on
the Internet.
The National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as subsequently
amended, includes a statutory charge 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.'' The SDR is designed to comply with these mandates by
providing information on the supply and utilization of the nation's
doctoral level scientists and engineers.
The survey data will be collected in conformance with the
Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of
2002 and the individual's response to the survey is voluntary. NSF will
ensure that all information collected will be kept strictly
confidential and will be used only for statistical purposes.
Use of the Information: The NSF uses the information from the SDR
to prepare congressionally mandated reports such as Women, Minorities
and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering and Science
and Engineering Indicators. These two reports are made available, in
full, on the internet. However, summary Digests of facts and figures
from these lengthy reports are made available both in print and online.
Although NSF publishes statistics from the SDR in many reports, a full
report with over 80 tables is produced online in the biennial series,
Characteristics of Scientists and Engineers with U.S. Doctorates.
Expected Respondents. The NCSES within NSF enhanced and expanded
the sample for the prior 2015 cycle of the SDR to measure employment
outcomes according to the eligible SEH fine fields of degree captured
in the Survey of Earned Doctorates. Providing reliable estimates by
fine fields required expanding the 2013 SDR sample from approximately
47,000 to 120,000 in 2015. Another effect of expanding the 2015 SDR
sample is the enhanced production of reliable estimates of SEH fine
fields by various demographic characteristics, such as gender,
ethnicity, and race. The 2017 SDR will maintain the 2015 expanded
sample along with a new sample of about 10,000 doctorates from the most
recent 2014 and 2015 academic years and will not exceed 123,000
individuals in total with U.S. earned doctorates in SEH fields. NSF
expects the overall 2017 SDR response rate to be approximately 75
percent.
Estimate of Burden. The amount of time to complete the
questionnaire may vary depending on an individual's circumstances;
however, on average it takes approximately 25 minutes. Thus, NSF
estimates that the total annual burden for the 2017 SDR will be 38,438
hours (that is, 123,000 respondents at 75% response rate for 25
minutes).
Dated: September 13, 2016.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2016-22402 Filed 9-16-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P