J. Ky. Acad. Sci. 66(2): 129-1 36. 2005. 



Kentucky Baccalaureate Origins of Doctorate Recipients in the Biological 

 Sciences, Chemistry, and Physics, 1978 through 2002 



Fitzgerald B. Bramwell 



Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0055 



and 



Elinor L. Brown 



Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0017 



ABSTRACT 



This paper presents the Kentucky baccalaureate origins of men, women, and under-represented group U.S. 

 citizen doctoral recipients in the biological sciences, chemistry, and physics from 1978 through 2002. Coun- 

 terintuitive results are reported for chemistry and physics. For these disciplines, institutions with an under- 

 graduate focus and smaller science infrastructure have outperformed Kentucky's research universities. 



Further, the results suggest that little or no attention has been paid in a systemic manner to any Kentucky 

 under-represented minority group during this period. Conversely, there has been significant growth in the 

 percentage and absolute numbers of U.S. women earning doctoral degrees in the biological sciences and in 

 chemistry after receiving Kentucky baccalaureate degrees. 



INTRODUCTION 



Higher education graduate and undergrad- 

 uate programs play a pivotal role in develop- 

 ing the intellectual capital of the scientific and 

 technical workforce. This paper presents the 

 Kentucky baccalaureate origins of men, wom- 

 en, and underrepresented group doctoral re- 

 cipients in the biological sciences, chemistry, 

 and physics from 1978 through 2002. It builds 

 upon similar efforts in chemistry by Hall 

 (1985) by using an expanded dataset that in- 

 cludes underrepresented groups and the addi- 

 tional disciplines of the biological sciences 

 and physics. Results for the biological scienc- 

 es, chemistry, and physics were targeted since 

 these academic disciplines represent core 

 competencies for any undergraduate program 

 in the physical sciences. 



The importance of undergraduate training 

 in the sciences in production of a technolog- 

 ical infrastructure and as a prelude to graduate 

 study is supported by all Carnegie research- 

 extensive and research-intensive universities 

 as well as by the worldwide scientific com- 

 munity. For example. Dr. Frank Rhodes, for- 

 mer president of Cornell University, stated, 

 "while research and teaching both contribute 

 to the strength and vitality of the U.S. research 

 university, it is undergraduate teaching and 

 learning, that is the central task. Undergrad- 



uate education is fundamental to the existence 

 of the university. . ." (Rhodes 1994). 



Kentucky's transformation to a competitive, 

 high-tech economy requires the development 

 and enhancement of the scientific and tech- 

 nological workforce. The critical nature of this 

 effort is reflected in numerous state-supported 

 and federally partnered initiatives such as the 

 Experimental Program to Stimulate Competi- 

 tive Research (NSF-EPSCoR Program 2005), 

 Institutional Development Award (NIH-IDeA 

 Program 2005), the Small Business Innova- 

 tion Research/Small Business Technology 

 Transfer (NSF-SBIR/STTR Program 2005). In 

 recent years, comprehensive statewide efforts 

 to improve higher education include signifi- 

 cant budget reallocations through the Re- 

 search Challenge Trust Fund initiative (STTR- 

 EPSCoR Program 2005). The vast majority of 

 these funds are directed toward improving the 

 scientific and technological resources of Ken- 

 tucky-based institutions of higher education. 

 The basis for such efforts appears driven by 

 research competitiveness within higher edu- 

 cation (Teich 1996) and the need to update 

 and enhance the Kentucky technical, scientif- 

 ic, and educational infrastructure. The re- 

 search or discovery undertakings at universi- 

 ties and colleges can lead to patents and 

 commercial development. Therefore, technol- 



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