Building on elementary and secondary education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), higher education in science and engineering (S&E) and S&E-related fields is essential to developing the talent of U.S. adults and attracting and retaining talent from around the world. This report describes U.S. undergraduate and…

As systematic inequities in higher education and society have been brought to the forefront, graduate programs are interested in increasing the diversity of their applicants and enrollees. Yet, structures in place to evaluate applicants may not support such aims. One potential solution to support those aims is rubricbased holistic review. Starting…

In the study of science and engineering graduate education in the U.S., two themes that have received extensive attention individually are the persisting underrepresentation of women and the significant growth in enrollment among foreign nationals. Using data from a census of U.S. science and engineering graduate programs, this paper examines a…

Multimedia learning is widely used in life science education where the use of pictures and text can bring complex structures and processes to life. However the impact on academic performance and deeper understanding is not well documented. We therefore carried out a systematic review to evaluate the effectiveness of multimedia resources in…

In 2008, about 568,000 foreign students (those holding temporary visas) studied at U.S. universities and colleges, 248,000 of them in science and engineering (S&E). There was an expectation that fall 2009 foreign enrollments might be negatively affected by the 2008-09 world financial crisis because of schools' restrictions on enrollment,…

This mixed-methods study examined the interactions and learning outcomes of science teachers in an online graduate-level course on evolutionary biology intended to improve their content knowledge and science lesson planning. Discussion posts made by the teachers in this seven-week course were analyzed for cognitive presence using the Community of…

U.S. enrollment in science and engineering (S&E) graduate programs in 2007 increased by 3.3% over comparable data for 2006. This is the highest annual growth rate since 2002 and is nearly double the 1.7% growth rate seen in 2006. First-time, full-time enrollment of foreign students (the terms "foreign student" and "temporary" visa holder are…

This InfoBrief uses data collected from the 2009 Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) to report on trends in the numbers of individuals who earn research doctoral degrees from U.S. academic institutions. Postgraduation plans of new doctorate recipients are examined from 2004 to 2009, a period that includes the recent economic decline. The following…

It is in the nature of a journey that it must start somewhere; it is in the nature of research that it must have a focus. The authors begin this review with a summary of science education research that has been done in South Africa over past decades, and the focuses it has chosen. They then critique the research, focusing on the following…

The "U.S. News and World Report" 1993 rankings of doctoral programs in biology (n=229), chemistry (n=178), and physics (n=151) and graduate programs in nursing (n=201) are presented, with some narrative analysis. Best-regarded institutions for doctoral education in six science disciplines are also listed. (MSE)

Enrollment of pharmacy and nonpharmacy students in graduate courses in the biological sciences within pharmacy are examined. Suggestions are made for assessing the relative quality of these students, for finding the reason for an upswing in nonpharmacy enrollments in the biological sciences, and for recruiting pharmacy students to this area. (MSE)

A comprehensive, quantitative evaluation of an educational intervention program designed to reduce the attrition of minorities from the biological sciences was undertaken to ascertain whether such efforts adequately address the problem. Program participants had greater odds of persisting in basic math and science courses, and of graduating in…

Data on higher education institutions producing the most master's, doctoral, and first professional degrees are presented by field of study and race/ethnicity of the degree recipient (white, African American, Hispanic, Asian American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Native American). Doctorate recipient rates for 1986-95 in science and engineering are…

Essays on research and teaching of academic writing in English as a second language include:"When Practice Doesn't Make Perfect: The Case of a Graduate ESL Student" (Melanie Schneider, Naomi K. Fujishima); "Good Writing: I Know It When I See It" (Ilona Leki); "Redefining the Task: An Ethnographic Examination of Writing and Response in Graduate…