Form Academic R&D Pre-W Academic R&D Pre-W Academic R&D Pre-Workshop Survey

EMAIL SUBJECT LINE:  NSF R&D Data User Workshop, June 27

 

Dear Colleague:

 

We are looking forward to an interesting and productive workshop on current and future data needs for the Survey of R&D Expenditures at Universities and Colleges, and are pleased that you will be attending.

 

Attached to this message is a brief survey concerning your experiences in using the R&D Expenditures survey data and related data from other sources, the adequacy of the data for your needs, and data of interest that are not available to you from any source.  In addition, we ask a small number of specific questions about S&E fields, funding source data, and the identification of expenditures that "belong" to an institution.

 

Your responses will be combined with those of other workshop participants; the findings will be presented at the workshop and included in a summary of the workshop. 

 

We ask that you return this brief survey to Mary Hagedorn at Westat by June 6 . Her email address is maryhagedorn@westat.com.  If you have any questions, you can reach Mary at 301-251-4273 (for those out of the Washington, DC area, call toll-free to 1-800-937-8281, extension 4273).  You may reach Ronda Britt of my staff at rbritt@nsf.gov or 703-292-7765.

 

We look forward to receiving your responses and the June 27 workshop.

 

Sincerely,

 

Lynda Carlson,

Director, Division of Science Resources Statistics

National Science Foundation

NSF Survey of Research and Development Expenditures at

Universities and Colleges (Academic R&D Survey)

Data Users Workshop

Pre-workshop Survey

Your participation in this survey is greatly appreciated and will help the NSF shape the future content and coverage of data on R&D. We will summarize the results and present them at the start of the workshop. Please provide your answers by June 6, 2007.

Pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.5(b), an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to an information collection unless it displays a valid OMB control number.  The OMB control number for this collection is 3145-0100.  Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions. Your response is entirely voluntary. Send comments regarding this burden estimate and any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to:  Reports Clearance Officer, Facilities and Operations Branch, Division of Administrative Services, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA  22230.

1. Please provide a short description of how you use data on academic R&D and related activities. As an example, you may use R&D expenditure data to evaluate federal funding in certain academic fields or you may use R&D data to benchmark against other states or institutions.

2. Please list the specific types of data or information that you currently use from the NSF Academic R&D Survey. A list of topics covered in the survey and a link to the survey is provided on the last page of this document. If you need additional space, please just add on.

1. _________________________________________

2. _________________________________________

3. _________________________________________

4. _________________________________________

5. _________________________________________

3. Please list other types of data or information that you use concerning academic R&D and related activities (such as technology transfer) that are not currently covered by the NSF Academic R&D Survey but are available from other sources. Please include the sources for these additional information or data.

Data or information used	Source
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

4. What types of academic R&D data or information that you would like to use are not available from any source? Please list them below. Be as specific as you can. Add on if you need additional space.

1. _________________________________________

2. _________________________________________

3. _________________________________________

4. _________________________________________

5. _________________________________________

5. Are the number and type of fields of Science & Engineering (S&E) and non-S&E on the survey adequate for the types of analysis you conduct? If not, what additional or revised fields would you like to see included?

6. Are the current five source of funds categories adequate (federal, state and local, industry, institutional, and other) for the types of analysis you conduct? If not, what additional categories would you like to see included?

7. In your opinion, what should be the criteria for determining what R&D expenditures “belong” to the institution? For example, should it be only the R&D that is reported in the university financial system? Should it be a combination of financially separate organizational units (such as research foundations or hospitals) that comprise the institution? Should it include all R&D performed by faculty under the institution name regardless of where the expenditures are located?

Thank you!

We look forward to seeing you at the workshop on June 27, 2007.

Survey Topics

The NSF Survey of Research and Development Expenditures at Universities and Colleges includes questions covering the following topics:

• R&D expenditures by source of funds (Federal, State and local, industry, institutional, or other)

• R&D expenditures by character of work (basic research versus applied research and development)

• R&D expenditures passed through to subrecipients

• R&D expenditures received as a subrecipient

• Total and federally funded R&D expenditures by S&E field

• Total and federally funded R&D expenditures by non-S&E field (optional prior to FY 2003)

• Total and federally funded R&D equipment expenditures by S&E field

• Federally funded expenditures by S&E field and Federal agency (optional prior to FY 2003)

Other key variables include:

• Academic institution/FFRDC

• Institutional characteristics (highest degree granted, historically black college or university (HBCU), public or private control)

• FFRDC characteristics (academic, nonprofit, or industrial)

• Geographic location (within the United States)

A copy of the survey materials and instructions can be found at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/srvyrdexpenditures/2005/universities_2005.pdf