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Listserv Message Center
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Science Metrics Position |
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| Posted by: | Kellina Craig-Henderson |
| Title/Position: | Program Officer |
| School/Organization: | National Science Foundation |
| Sent to listserv of: | SPSP, SESP, SPSSI |
| Date posted: | March 10th, 2006 |
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http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2006/e20060053/e20060053.txt
The Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) supports research, education, and infrastructure in the social, behavioral, cognitive, and economic sciences, primarily through grants to investigators at universities and other institutions. SBE also supports the collection and dissemination of statistics on the science and engineering enterprise. The goal of the new Science Metrics Program is to reach a point where the nation’s public and private sectors are able to evaluate reliably the returns they have received from past research and development (R&D) investments and to forecast, within tolerable margins of errors, likely returns from future investments in science and engineering.
The Science Metrics Program will include the development of tools and research across a broad spectrum of sciences to enable policy makers to understand the implications of the choices they must make among various research programs. The Science Metrics initiative will develop an ongoing “science of science policy” and include work that allows a better understanding of the composition and growth (or decline) of the SEE workforce in the United States and abroad, and of international trends in R&D.
There are currently two main research aspects of the Science Metrics program: 1) Stimulating and initiating research investments to improve and expand Science Metrics, such as enhancements and additions to existing surveys as well as the development of new survey areas where data do not now exist. This focus will also include improving the comparability, scope and availability of international data. In order to accomplish these goals, it will be necessary to reach out to the private sector as well as to academic researchers, and to coordinate domestic efforts with efforts in other nations and international agencies that address similar concerns as they seek to enhance our understanding of the globalization of science and technology. 2) Producing usable knowledge from data. Efforts in this area will include model building, the development of econometric, behavioral and other statistical tools as well as qualitative studies and tools tailored to the problem of understanding innovation and returns to science investments. Also necessary will be focused studies that bring tools and data together to yield rich understandings of how innovation occurs and why some science investments pay off while others do not. The ultimate goal will be to develop a vertically integrated understanding of the science R&D enterprise in the U.S. and in other countries, including an assessment of the underpinnings and ramifications of innovation among individuals, organizations and societies.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The individual selected for this position serves as an advisor to the Assistant Director and Deputy Assistant Director on all scientific, policy and management matters relating to the support of research in the social, behavioral and economic sciences. Collaborates with the Assistant Director and Deputy Assistant Director in the development and formulation of policy for determining which phases of research should be emphasized and supported by the foundation and formulates criteria for evaluating research in progress in Federal agencies and in public and private institutions. Provides assistant with research and fiscal data to aid in the formulation of the Science Metrics program budget. Determines the needs for special studies and works with the directorate’s scientific staff in the development of such studies. Coordinates special projects for the Science Metrics Program.
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