Relation of the Federal GoreiTiment to Research 



ing from $250,000 to $1,000,000 where many persons are 

 active in research; and 13,317 are on the staffs of 63 

 institutions spending from $25,000 to $250,000. About 

 60,000 more teach in colleges, and no inconsiderable 

 number of these carry on research. It would seem 

 that at least 15,000 men and women carry on research 

 in universities and colleges. On the above basis we 

 would have: 



Industry 20, 000 



Commercial, business 5, 000 



Federal 10,000 



Universities and colleges 15,000 



Total 50, 000 



It would seem safe to conclude that we have between 

 40,000 and 60,000 research workers, and not far from 

 50,000. 



Number of Outstanding Research 

 Men and Women 



Assuming that 10 percent are such, 5,000 would be 

 10 percent of 50,000 as estimated above. 



In the sixth edition of American Men of Science 

 1,577 men are starred. Assuming that there are nearly 

 as many research men in the social sciences and human- 

 ities as in the natural sciences (4,202 Ph. D.'s conferred 

 in natural science, 3,827 in social science and human- 

 ities, 1934-1937) we may estimate 1,443 men of equal 

 ability in these fields or about 3,000 in all. Owing to 

 tlie fact that the starred group in American Men of 

 Science tends to be weighted of necessity in favor of 

 men in universities and foundations as against those 

 in industry, business, and Government, owing to the 

 fact that the latter groups are not nearly so free to 

 publish extensively, it seems reasonable to assume that 

 there are at least 1,000 more men in industry, business, 

 and Government as able as these 3,000. We estimate 

 that there are 4,000 in the country as able in research 

 as the starred men in American Men of Science. 

 Further, as only 5.6 percent of the men are starred, this 

 is certainly a conservative list. It is further restricted 

 because, while men in American Men of Science are 

 listed in about 300 categories they are starred in only 

 12. This tends to eliminate from favorable considera- 

 tion men notable in borderline fields. 



It seems reasonable to say that between 4,000 and 

 6,000 research workers in America are men and women 

 of very notable ability and are of vital importance 

 to the country. 



Place of Employment of Ph. D. Graduates 



Between 70 and 75 percent enter employment in col- 

 leges and universities, and between 25 and 30 percent 

 enter employment in industry, in business, and in the 



175 



Government. It seems probable that later many mi- 

 grate from teaching into industry iind the (iovernment 

 service. 



The Status of Research 

 in the Universities 



In view of the fact that the universities are an im- 

 portant national research agency, especially as the 

 chief source of personnel, it seems desirable to attempt 

 to evaluate in as many ways as possible the research 

 being carried on in the universities. 



The Definition of Research 



It seems necessary at the start to point out that there 

 is much confusion in the use of the term "research." 

 Use of the term in the universities and colleges is con- 

 fused as to definition and purpose by the difference in 

 emphasis from institution to institution, and from 

 department to department within the same institution. 



There are from 10 to 20 institutions that are in every 

 sense universities. The staffs of all departments are 

 selected with a view to research ability. Facilities 

 and time are specificallj' available for research. In 

 80 to 100 other institutions researcli is a recognized 

 part of the work of certain departments, but not of all. 

 Some conduct research at a high level. Part of the 

 staff only is selected with large emphasis on researcii 

 ability. In perhaps 50 or 100 additional colleges the 

 administration gives some encouragement to research. 

 In the remaining 1,200 institutions classed as col- 

 leges — approximately 650 4-year colleges, 300 2-year 

 colleges, 150 teachers' colleges and 100 normal schools — 

 research is very slightly or not at all encouraged, is 

 almost wholly a matter of individual initiative, and is 

 carried on in spite of very full teaching schedules. Of 

 necessity "research" has a different meaning in these 

 very different environments. 



Of the 2,700 receiving the doctorate and 20,000 re- 

 ceiving the master's degree each year, many who have 

 been initiated into research find teaching positions 

 where research is not encouraged and where facilities 

 are very poor. Such productive scholarship as they 

 are able to carry on would rarely be regarded as re- 

 search by men in the great universities, but their 

 scholarly efforts and ambitions are very important to 

 them and are in great need of encouragement. Many 

 of these men and women are of real potential value as 

 research workers. For the best development of the 

 great universities, teachers who are appreciative of 

 scholarship and research and who will inspire ablo 

 youth to scliolarly achievement are needed in all of the 

 colleges. A heavy responsibility rests on the universi- 

 ties, and other research centers, to aid and stimulate 

 these isolated scholars in any possible way. 



