[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 193 (Thursday, October 3, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 51723]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25347]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Proposed Data Collection: Comment Request; Title of Proposed
Collection: National Survey of College Graduates
In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on
proposed data collection projects, the National Science Foundation
(NSF) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. To request
more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the
data collection plans and instruments, call the NSF Clearance Officer
on (703) 306-1243.
Comments are invited on (a) whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents,
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other
forms of information technology.
Proposed Project: The National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG),
formerly called National Survey of Natural and Social Scientists and
Engineers, has been conducted biennially since the 1970's. In the 1997
NSCG, persons identified as trained and/or working in science and
engineering, who responded to the 1995 survey, will be contacted again.
The purpose of this longitudinal study is to provide national estimates
on the science and engineering workforce and changes in employment,
education and demographic characteristics. The study is one of three
components of the Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System
(SESTAT), formerly called the Scientific and Technical Personnel Data
System (STPDS), which produces national estimates of the size and
characteristics of the nation's science and engineering population.
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 National Survey of College Graduates is designed to
comply with these mandates by providing information on the supply and
utilization of nation's scientists and engineers. The NSCG provides the
majority of records into the SESTAT data system. The NSF uses this
information to prepare congressionally mandated reports such as Science
and Engineering Indicators and Women and Minorities in Science and
Engineering. A public release file of collected data, edited to protect
respondent confidentiality, will be made available to researchers on
CD-ROM and on the World Wide Web.
The Bureau of the Census, as in the past, will conduct the study
for NSF through an interagency agreement. Respondents from the 1995
NSCG, who had at least a bachelor's degree in science engineering as of
1990 Decennial Census, or who worked in science and engineering jobs as
of April 1993, will be contacted in 1997. The sample design included
oversampling of minority college graduate population and varying
sampling rates to represent specific fields of science and engineering.
Sample members will be sent mail questionnaires, and non-respondents to
the mail questionnaire will be followed up by telephone or personal
visit interview.
The 1997 NSCG sample size will be about 53,000 and an unweighted
response rate of 95 percent is anticipated (94 percent was obtained on
the previous cycle). The amount of time required to complete the
questionnaire may vary depending on individuals' circumstances but on
the average, it will take about 25 minutes. The survey will be
collected in conformance with the Privacy Act of 1974 and the
individual's response to the survey will be entirely voluntary. NSF
will insure that all information collected will be kept strictly
confidential and will be used only for research or statistical
purposes, analyzing data, and preparing scientific reports and
articles.
Send comments to Herman Fleming, National Science Foundation
Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard,
Suite 485, Arlington, VA 22230.
Writen comments should be received by December 1, 1996:
Dated: September 30, 1996.
Herman G. Fleming,
NSF Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-25347 Filed 10-2-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M
