Doctorate awards drop

摘要

The number of science doctorates awarded in the United States has declined for the first time in eight years, according to a report by the US National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF s annual survey, out in late November, revealed that US institutions conferred 25,820 science doctorates in 2009, but only 25,589 in 2010, a decrease of 0.89%. Between 2002 and 2009, the number climbed by 32%. However, 2009-10 saw small drops in agricultural sciences, molecular biology, neuroscience, Earth sciences and chemistry.