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Without More Minorities, Women, Disabled, U.S. Scientific Failure Certain, Fed Study Says
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WITHOUT MORE MINORITIES, WOMEN, DISABLED, U.S. SCIENTIFIC FAILURE CERTAIN, FED STUDY SAYS Eileen M. O'Brien Washington, D.C.-To combat the projected shortage of scientists and engineers, the nation must encourage women, minorities and disabled individuals to earn three times as many bachelor's degrees and ten times as many Ph.D.s in these fields over the next decade, a new federal report says. Changing America: The New Face of Science and Engineering, the final report of the Task Force on Women, Minorities and the Handicapped in Science and Technology,* details the current underrepresentation in science and engineering of white women, Native Americans, Blacks, Hispanics and individuals with disabilities and suggests specific actions for all sectors of society in addressing the crisis. Currently, white women, Native Americans, Blacks and Hispanics account for only 14.5 percent of all employed scientists and engineers, yet these groups represent 64.6 percent of the total population, the report says. Citing figures from the National Science Foundation, Changing America adds that in 1986, only 94,000 Americans with disabilities were working as scientists or engineers. "The urgency is obvious. Remedies are available. Fast action, long-term commitment and new partnerships are needed now," according to the report. Changing America urges involvement from the president, governors, industry, the federal government, state legislators, universities and colleges, school boards, PreK-12 educators, the media and parents. Releasing the report earlier this month, task force Executive Director Sue Kemnitzer said the federal government and the administration were expected to act on the recommendations immediately. Secretary of energy, Adm. James D. Watkins, was expected to issue plans this month for carrying through on the report's recommendations, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration was expected to endorse the report and present 68 steps it will take in response to the report. *[Released in September 1988.-Ed.] WITHOUT MORE MINORITIES, WOMEN, DISABLED / 255 "The Office of Science and Technology Policy will set up an interagency committee to follow through on the kind of coordination that the task force has achieved and recommends should continue," Kemnitzer added. In addition, the president's fiscal 1991 budget should include new funding for some of the recommendations , she said. In general, the report noted that minorities' pursuit of science and engineering careers is hindered by inadequate mathematical and science education in grades K-12. American Indians suffer because they are concentrated in Bureau of Indian Affairs schools, with "generally poor" teaching in these subjects, and Blacks and Hispanics-primarily concentrated in large urban school districtsreceive "an inadequate basic education," the report says. Kemnitzer said Asian Americans were not studied because "as a whole they are not underrepresented in science and engineering" and disaggregated data did not exist in the areas they examined. Changing America offered the following statistics on current and future degrees in science and engineering for underrepresented groups. American Indians American Indians represent .6 percent of the national population and hold .3 percent of all bachelor's degrees and .11 percent of all Ph.D.s in science and engineering; they represent .5 percent of all employed scientists and engineers. The report projects that for American Indians, the number of bachelor's degrees in science and engineering must triple from about 700 in 1987 to 2,200 in 2000, and doctorate degrees must increase eleven-fold, from 15 in 1987 to 160 in 2000. As a recent study by Dr. Robert Wells of St. Laurence University demonstrated , almost three-quarters of American Indian students who enroll in college drop out. The task force notes "strong support programs which reflect family and tribal ties are crucial to success in college." Blacks While Blacks comprise 12 percent of the general population, they account for only 2 percent of all employed scientists and engineers, earn just 5 percent of the bachelor's degrees and 1 percent of the Ph.D.s in science and engineering. By 2000, three times as many bachelor's degrees and 16 times as many doctorate degrees should be awarded to Blacks in these fields, the task force said. "In 1986, the 25 largest school districts were 45 percent Black," said the report. These large, urban school districts "must be helped to prepare Black young people for careers in science and engineering." [44.221.81.212] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 16:58 GMT) 256 / Who Gets to Do Science? Hispanics The fastest growing minority group, Hispanics represent 9 percent of the total population. However, only 2...