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2006 Annual Survey of the Mathematical Sciences—First and Second Reports

The First Report of the 2006 Annual Survey of the Mathematical Sciences, which presents salary data for faculty members in U.S. departments of mathematical sciences in four-year colleges and universities, has been published. It also gives a broad picture of 2005-06 new doctoral recipients from U.S. departments in the mathematical sciences, including their employment status in fall 2006.

Prepared by Ellen E. Kirkman, James W. Maxwell, and Colleen A. Rose, the First Report is based on information collected from two questionnaires distributed to departments in April 2006. Responses to a questionnaire mailed in October 2006, about the employment experiences of new doctoral recepients, was the basis for the Second Report, which came out in August 2007.

The report reveals that there were 1,311 new doctoral recipients from U.S. institutions for 2005-06, the highest number ever reported. At the same time, only 552 (42%) of the recipients were U.S. citizens. Women made up 32% of all new doctoral recipients, up from 29% in the previous year.

Of the 884 new doctoral recipients taking positions in the U.S., 243 (19%) obtained jobs in business and industry. That number has increased for the last three consecutive years (2004-2006). The number of degree recipients taking jobs in government was up 12 (35%) over fall 2005. The number taking U.S. academic positions in fall 2005 was 715, the highest such number reported over the past 25 years.

A third questionnaire, which concerned data on fall 2006 course enrollments, graduate students, and departmental faculty, was distributed to departments in September 2006. Results from this questionnaire — the Third Report of the 2006 Annual Survey — will come out in November 2007.

The 2006 Annual Survey represents the fiftieth in an annual series begun in 1957. The 2006 Survey is under the direction of the Data Committee, a joint committee of the MAA, AMS, the American Statistical Association, the Institute of Mathematical Statistics, and SIAM.

Members of the committee are Richard Cleary, Amy Cohen-Corwin, Donald M. Davis, Nicholas M. Ercolani, Abbe H. Herzig, Donald R. King, Ellen E. Kirkman (chair), David J. Lutzer, Peter March, James W. Maxwell (ex officio), Polly Phipps, David E. Rohrlich, and Henry Schenck.

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4454
News Date: 
Wednesday, September 26, 2007