Last year was a notable one for scientific achievements: In 2014, European researchers discovered a fundamental new particle that sheds light on the origins of the universe, and the European Space Agency successfully landed the first spacecraft on a comet. Chinese researchers, meanwhile, developed the world’s fastest supercomputer, and uncovered new ways to meet global food demand.
Drawing on its biennial Science and Engineering Indicators report, the NSB's latest report highlights the growing need for STEM knowledge and skills in a 21st Century economy. In 2010, 16.5 million individuals--including many in non-STEM jobs, such as sales, marketing and management--reported that their job required at least a bachelor's degree level of science and engineering (S&E) expertise. This represents about three times the number of individuals working in occupations classified as S&E (5.4 million).
In the "Wind Vision" report, the Department of Energy projects that the country could do even more going forward by installing up to 11 gigawatts of new wind-generating capacity each year between now and the middle of the century. That would bring the U.S. to 400 total gigawatts of such capacity installed across the country -- enough power for 100 million homes, according to the Energy Department's estimates.
The DOE outlines a path to 35 percent, beginning with 10 percent by 2020 and rising to 20 percent by 2030.
Hard times are becoming better times for most college graduates, though how much better varies widely among college majors – and for Communications and Journalism majors, whose unemployment rates are still rising, better times have yet to arrive. Overall, however, unemployment rates among college graduates are declining.
The conventional wisdom is that women haven’t progressed in careers in STEM due to the pull of children and early choices not to pursue math and science careers (Moss-Racusin, Dovidio, Brescoll, Graham, & Handelsman, 2012). Some studies conclude that the relatively low percentage of women stems from these factors and “is not caused by discrimination” in STEM (Ceci, Williams, & Banett, 2009; Ceci & Williams, 2011; Ceci et al., 2011). Yet three recent studies found that gender bias also plays a role.
Underrepresented minorities' share of Science and Engineering (S&E) bachelor's and master's degrees has been rising since 1993, but their share of doctorates in these fields has flattened at about 7 percent from 2002 to 2012, according to the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2015 report.
When Brown v. Board of Education was decided more than 60 years ago, there were good paying, family supporting jobs for workers without formal educational credentials. But the era of pick and shovel jobs is long gone. Those who would support themselves and their families in the 21st century need a high school diploma and more: career training, an associate degree or, ideally, a four-year college degree.
The experts agreed on two long-term trends: advancing learning environments that are flexible and drive innovation, as well as increasing the collaboration that takes place between higher education institutions. These are just two of the 18 topics analyzed in the NMC Horizon Report: 2015 Higher Education Edition, indicating the key trends, significant challenges, and important technological developments that are very likely to impact changes in higher education across the world over the next five years.
While the world may still be waiting for a mass-produced flying car, there has been a tremendous amount of innovation in the automotive industry since these vehicles were first invented. Looking back over the last five years, a significant amount of technology has been introduced into the ever evolving automobile.
Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2016 contains the Budget Message of the President, information on the President’s priorities, and summary tables. Analytical Perspectives, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2016 contains analyses that are designed to highlight specified subject areas or provide other significant presentations of budget data that place the budget in perspective.
