piner@pur-phy.UUCP (Richard Piner) (11/15/85)
Posted: Fri Aug 23, 1985 3:47 PM EDT Msg: WGIF-2057-3870 From: RPARK To: WHATSNEW CC: RPark Subj: What's New WHAT'S NEW, Friday, August 23, 1985 Washington, D.C. 1. FOREIGN NATIONAL SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS IN THE US LABOR FORCE in the decade from 1972 to 1982 is the subject of a recent report prepared for the National Science Foundation by Michael Finn, of the Oak Ridge Associated Universities. As we noted in a preliminary report in What's New May 10, some 40% of all new PhD engineers entering the US work force are foreign nationals. The completed report shows that the figure is much lower for the physical sciences (about 15%) and much lower still for the life sciences and social sciences. Part of the explanation for the large difference appears to be that the lure of large salaries in engineering persuades many US citizens to forego the PhD. Foreign graduates have taken advantage of the reduced competition for positions requiring a PhD to obtain labor certification. Foreign national scientists and engineers differ significantly from US citizens in their type of employer. The US military does not employ foreign nationals and very few work in civilian jobs for the US government. Non-profit organizations, on the other hand, hire above average proportions of foreigners. The rate of naturalization to US citizenship is high, with the result that the proportion of foreign nationals in the science and engineering work force changed little over the decade of the study. It is clearly a great strength of the American system that it continues to attract talented people from all over the world. It is important, however, that policy makers understand that our technical enterprise could not operate without this influx. 2. NAVY PERSONNEL WILL ATTEND FEWER SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCES in the next couple of years. A recent message from the Secretary of the Navy directs all Naval Commands and Activities who fund attendees and participants, including speakers, at non-government-sponsored conferences to reduce their participation by 25% for the remainder of 1985 and by 50% for FY 86. This applies to both military and civilian personnel. The message cites the cost of attendance as the justification for the new policy, but it is difficult to avoid the suspicion that this new isolationism stems from the Navy's embarrassment over the recent spy scandals. Robert L. Park American Physical Society THAT'S ALL 8/22/85