Among the black doctoral scientists and 

 engineers, the largest proportion is involved 

 primarily in teaching activities (40 percent), 

 followed by administration (19 percent), and 

 research and development (16 percent). This 

 pattern of activity applies in each of the fields. 

 Black doctoral scientists and engineers are 

 employed for the most part by universities and 

 four-year colleges (61 percent), with the next 

 largest proportions employed by industry (13 

 percent) and the Federal Government (7 per- 

 cent). This pattern is consistent across all fields. 

 In comparison, about one-half of the white 

 doctoral scientists and engineers are employed 

 by universities and four-year colleges, with the 

 next largest proportion (21 percent) employed 

 by industry, and 8 percent employed by the 

 Federal Government. Doctoral scientists and 

 engineers who are American Indians also are 

 primarily involved in teaching (69 percent) and 

 employed by universities and four-year colleges. 



Asian doctoral scientists and engineers exhibit 

 quite different characteristics. They are primari- 

 ly involved in research and development (41 

 percent), teaching (29 percent), and administra- 

 tion (7 percent). Compared with the other 

 minorities, a greater proportion of Asians are 

 employed by industry: 51 percent in universities 

 and four-year colleges, 28 percent in industry, 

 and 5 percent in the Federal Government. 



These data suggest that there are 

 characteristic patterns of involvement in science 

 for selected minorities. Black scientists and 

 engineers, for example, tend to be involved in 

 social science and health science fields, and 

 predominantly in teaching activities. In contrast, 

 Asian Americans tend toward the physical 

 sciences and engineering, and involvement in 

 R&D activities. 



An indication of the current participation of 

 minority students in science and engineering 

 graduate study is presented in the following 

 table. 5" It should be pointed out that these data 

 do not represent national totals, but they were 

 reported by a significant proportion of 

 doctorate-granting institutions. 



Proportion of minorities in science 



and engineering graduate studies, 



by field, 1973 



Percent in each field 



Field Black 



All science and engineering 2.5 



Physical sciences 1.4 



Mathematical sciences .... 2.5 



Engineering 1.2 



Life sciences 1.5 



Health professions 5.5 



Social sciences and 



psychology 4.1 



American 

 Indian 



Asian 



0.3 



.2 

 .2 

 .1 

 .2 

 .6 



2.1 



2.6 

 2.1 

 3.3 

 1.9 

 2.0 



1.1 



In analyzing the proportion of black students 

 enrolled in each field, it is apparent that the 

 health professions and social sciences attract the 

 largest percentage of black graduate students, 

 while engineering, physical sciences, and life 

 sciences attract the lowest proportion. In 

 contrast, the Asian graduate students enroll in 

 higher proportions to study engineering and the 

 physical sciences, and are less involved in the 

 social sciences. 



50 Elaine H. El-Khawas and Joan L. Kinzer, EnrotlmenI of 

 Minorihi Graduate Students at Ph.D. -Granting Imtitutions, 

 (Washington, D.C.: American Council on Education, 1974). 



142 



