Introduction
Need for STEM Talent in the U.S. and National Statistics
Long-term growth in the number of positions in science and engineering has far exceeded
that of the general workforce, with more than four times the annual growth rate of all
Proceedings of The 2011 IAJC-ASEE International Conference
ISBN 978-1-60643-379-9
occupations since 1980 [1]. The most recent occupational projections from the Bureau of
Labor Statistics [2] forecast that total employment in fields that the National Science
Foundation classifies as science and engineering will increase at nearly double the overall
growth rate for all occupations by 2014, growing by 26% from 2004 to 2014, while
employment in all occupations is projected to grow 13% over the same period [3].
In spite of such promising job prospects, recruitment for science and engineering programs is
a real challenge for most universities nationwide. Unfortunately, math and science are not the
subjects of first choice for the majority of American high school students. According to the
recent report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a
Brighter Economic Future, in South Korea, 38% of all undergraduates receive their degrees
in natural science or engineering. In France, the figure is 47%, in China, 50%, and in
Singapore, 67%. In the United States, the corresponding figure is only 15% [4].