NSF-2018年科学与工程指标（英文）-2018.1-28页

2018 DIGEST Summary

Core Content

The 2018 Science & Engineering Indicators report, published by the National Science Board (NSB), provides a comprehensive overview of the state of science and engineering (S&E) in the United States and globally. It highlights key trends in research and development (R&D) spending, scientific output, innovation, and STEM education, emphasizing the growing importance of S&E in the global economy and the need for continued investment and support.

Main Themes

• Global R&D Trends: R&D spending has grown significantly worldwide, with the U.S. and China leading the way.
• U.S. R&D Performance and Funding: The U.S. remains a major R&D performer, though federal support has declined in recent years.
• Global Science and Technology Capabilities: The U.S. and China are the top contributors to S&E publications, with China showing rapid growth.
• Invention, Knowledge Transfer, and Innovation: The U.S. continues to lead in patenting and innovation, but other countries are catching up.
• STEM Education: The U.S. produces a substantial number of STEM graduates, though there are concerns about gender and diversity gaps.

Key Information

Global R&D Spending

• Total R&D Expenditures (2015): Reached nearly $2 trillion, doubling from $984 billion in 2005 and $722 billion in 2000.
• Regional Concentration:
  • East/Southeast and South Asia (including China, India, etc.) is the fastest-growing region.
  • North America and Europe remain the largest contributors.
• Top R&D Performing Countries:
  • The U.S. accounted for 26% of global R&D.
  • China became the second-largest R&D performer, contributing 21%.
• R&D Intensity:
  • China has the highest R&D intensity growth, but still lags behind South Korea and the U.S..

U.S. R&D Performance and Funding

• Total U.S. R&D Performance (2015): Approximately $500 billion, with the business sector accounting for over 66%.
• R&D by Sector:
  • Business: Concentrated in chemicals, computer/electronic products, transportation, and information services.
  • Academia and the federal government are the next largest performers.
• R&D Types:
  • Applied and Development Research: Comprise 80% of U.S. R&D performance.
  • Basic Research: Makes up 17%, primarily conducted by academia.
• Federal R&D Trends:
  • Federal support for non-defense R&D is dominated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
  • Defense R&D has declined as a share of the federal budget since the 2010s.
  • Federal R&D Portfolio:
    • Life Sciences: Account for nearly 50%.
    • Engineering and Physical Sciences: Together make up 30%.

Global Science and Technology Capabilities

• S&E Publications:
  • The U.S. and China are the top two countries in S&E article production.
  • Biomedical Sciences and Engineering account for 57% of global S&E publications.
  • U.S. and EU articles receive more citations than those from China, though China's citations are rising.
• Knowledge- and Technology-Intensive Industries:
  • Contribute 31% to global economic output.
  • U.S. leads in commercial knowledge-intensive services and high-technology manufacturing.
  • China has rapidly grown in medium-high-technology manufacturing and engineering.
  • EU and Japan have seen declines in some sectors following the Great Recession.

Invention, Knowledge Transfer, and Innovation

• Patents:
  • U.S. patents granted in 2016 reached ~300,000, with China and India showing rapid growth from small bases.
  • U.S. knowledge-intensive industries receive the majority of USPTO patents.
  • Academic institutions dominate patent citations, accounting for ~60% of all citations.
  • Industry publications are most influential in computer science, physics, and engineering.
• Federal Technology Transfer:
  • DOE, DoD, and NASA are the leading federal agencies in technology transfer.
  • Federal research publications contribute to ~7% of total U.S. S&E articles in 2016.

U.S. and Global STEM Education

• K-12 Education:
  • U.S. students' math scores have modestly improved over the past two decades.
  • However, 15-year-olds score below the international average in math and at or slightly above in science.
• Associate's Degrees:
  • The U.S. awards over 1 million associate's degrees annually, with 9% in S&E fields and 14% in S&E technologies.
  • S&E technology degrees have grown by 72% since 2000, concentrated in health and engineering.
• Gender Trends:
  • Women earned ~60% of all associate's degrees since 2000.
  • Their share in S&E fields was 44% in 2015, reflecting a decline in computer science participation.
• Baccalaureates:
  • U.S. bachelor's degree production is a critical component of the S&E workforce.
  • Tuition and revenue data are included to show the financial aspects of higher education.

Conclusion

The 2018 Digest underscores the critical role of S&E in driving innovation and economic growth. While the U.S. remains a global leader, the rise of China and other countries in R&D spending and scientific output signals a shifting landscape. The report also highlights the importance of STEM education in sustaining the S&E workforce and the need to address gender and diversity gaps. Overall, it serves as a valuable resource for understanding the evolving dynamics of science and engineering in the global context.