Leaving the United States and working abroad: Building a framework for American scientific leadership

Michigan State University, East Lansing MI

Investigators

Abstract

This study examines the career experiences and outcomes of U.S.-educated scientists and engineers who are working abroad. The U.S. remains the global leader in science and engineering and higher education. In relative terms, however, the U.S. position has declined, and continued scientific leadership is no longer guaranteed. As scientific capacity expands elsewhere in the world, competition for highly skilled science and engineering workers increases. Today, U.S. higher education is at the center of a two-way global flow of scientists and engineers. The outflow of U.S.-educated scientists and engineers holds potential implications for innovation and economic competitiveness, but, to date, there is no systematic examination of U.S.-educated scientists abroad. This study fills the knowledge gap by: (1) identifying which scientists and engineers are most likely to leave the country, (2) understanding why they leave, (3) and their experiences abroad. Findings of the study provide specific implications for policy aimed at retaining highly skilled scientists and engineers in the country and maximizing their contributions to scientific advancement and innovation. This study features a two-stage research design. Stage 1 uses data merged from surveys conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within NSF. Quantitative analysis identifies factors associated with residence and employment abroad versus living and working in the U.S. among U.S.-educated scientists and engineers. Stage 2 involves collecting and analyzing interview data from U.S-educated scientists and engineers currently working at universities outside of the country. The qualitative sample includes biologists, computer and mathematical scientists, and psychologists, working in Canadian, Chinese, South Korean, and British universities. Interview data uncover why researchers chose to leave the U.S., their career experiences abroad, and their impressions about the global status of American science and engineering. Findings from both phases contribute to developing a policy-relevant framework for understanding out-mobility among U.S.-educated scientists and engineers. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.