TABLE 32. Postdoctoral appointees in science, engineering, and health in all institutions, by detailed field: 2005–11
2005
2006
2007olda
2007newa
2008
2009
2010b
2011
All surveyed fields
48,555
49,343
50,712
50,840
54,164
57,805
63,415
62,947
Science and engineering
34,456
34,887
35,894
36,223
38,203
40,804
44,051
44,249
Science
Agricultural sciences
30,290
1,007
30,245
927
30,986
948
31,281
985
32,741
1,147
34,388
1,083
37,095
1,195
37,485
1,257
Biological sciences
Anatomy
Biochemistry
Biology
Biometry/epidemiology
Biophysics
Botany
Cell biology
Ecology
Entomology/parasitology
Genetics
Microbiology/immunology/virology
Nutrition
Pathology
Pharmacology
Physiology
Zoology
Biological sciences, nec
18,747
417
2,553
2,011
259
191
590
2,445
187
281
1,031
2,258
306
1,400
1,514
1,296
134
1,874
18,807
377
2,416
2,319
300
224
636
2,407
192
241
851
2,150
259
1,587
1,436
1,261
103
2,048
19,218
364
2,365
2,438
337
187
612
2,387
208
246
934
2,340
324
1,573
1,345
1,188
103
2,267
19,109
341
2,305
2,341
349
186
610
2,429
200
246
940
2,258
298
1,576
1,349
1,319
101
2,261
19,827
350
2,314
2,506
330
165
625
2,382
221
222
989
2,204
243
1,791
1,411
1,329
68
2,677
20,159
371
2,351
2,430
395
180
640
2,638
233
248
1,054
2,265
214
1,791
1,523
1,427
78
2,321
21,537
437
2,533
2,555
466
240
603
2,796
238
233
1,389
2,374
219
1,797
1,656
1,448
76
2,477
21,342
392
2,312
2,408
521
198
559
2,678
200
261
1,460
2,551
244
1,747
1,628
1,534
85
2,564
ne
ne
ne
30
32
38
60
65
Field
Communicationa
Computer sciences
Earth, atmospheric, and ocean sciences
Atmospheric sciences
Geosciences
Oceanography
Earth/atmospheric/ocean sciences, nec
Family and consumer sciences/human sciencesa
406
467
516
456
493
594
748
769
1,364
123
521
347
373
1,495
128
542
346
479
1,322
117
511
337
357
1,250
119
515
337
279
1,339
116
540
330
353
1,424
124
536
410
354
1,760
184
601
332
643
1,771
161
583
408
619
ne
ne
ne
8
19
22
30
54
500
443
57
579
512
67
621
579
42
624
571
53
723
643
80
737
675
62
756
680
76
805
706
99
ne
ne
ne
244
348
459
765
697
na
na
na
285
343
645
818
1,362
7,011
388
4,216
2,208
199
6,703
360
4,045
2,130
168
6,760
400
3,997
2,203
160
6,719
401
3,952
2,206
160
6,885
432
3,943
2,327
183
7,447
507
4,219
2,517
204
7,703
532
4,241
2,628
302
7,511
529
4,018
2,704
260
Psychology
Clinical psychology
Psychology, general
Psychology, nec
884
64
579
241
873
62
537
274
1,106
72
698
336
1,088
72
686
330
1,077
65
732
280
1,219
130
755
334
1,077
123
634
320
1,079
93
601
385
Social sciences
Agricultural economics
Anthropology (cultural/social)
Economics (except agricultural)
Geography
History and philosophy of science
Linguistics
Political science
Sociology
371
40
65
13
42
9
24
42
53
394
36
61
16
63
8
25
62
37
495
48
80
33
40
13
26
44
60
483
44
80
37
40
9
20
44
53
508
45
88
35
40
9
21
55
42
561
43
77
65
58
9
14
77
59
646
44
83
47
62
13
27
85
81
773
47
81
38
57
9
31
220
91
Mathematical sciences
Mathematics/applied mathematics
Statistics
Multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary studiesa
Neuroscience
a
Physical sciences
Astronomy
Chemistry
Physics
Physical sciences, nec
TABLE 32. Postdoctoral appointees in science, engineering, and health in all institutions, by detailed field: 2005–11
Field
Sociology/anthropology
Social sciences, nec
Engineering
Aerospace engineering
Agricultural engineering
Architecturea
Biomedical engineering
Chemical engineering
Civil engineeringa
Electrical engineering
Engineering science
Industrial engineering
Mechanical engineering
Metallurgical/materials engineering
Mining engineering
Nuclear engineering
Petroleum engineering
Engineering, nec
Health
Clinical medicine
Anesthesiology
Cardiology
Endocrinology
Gastroenterology
Hematology
Neurologya
Obstetrics/gynecology
Oncology/cancer research
Ophthalmology
Otorhinolaryngology
Pediatrics
Preventive medicine/community health
Psychiatry
Pulmonary disease
Radiology
Surgery
Clinical medicine, nec
Other health
Dental sciences
Nursing
Pharmaceutical sciences
2005
2006
2007olda
2007newa
2008
2009
2010b
2011
10
73
6
80
1
150
1
155
2
171
3
156
0
204
2
197
4,166
153
89
na
477
702
384
689
168
51
562
578
8
41
13
251
4,642
165
116
na
591
735
458
721
224
51
644
571
11
85
18
252
4,908
178
139
na
640
758
419
885
192
73
725
555
4
77
22
241
4,942
178
139
5
640
790
417
884
183
71
722
564
5
73
22
249
5,462
154
135
11
710
880
465
987
214
115
784
605
5
85
28
284
6,416
168
110
22
960
1,084
535
1,025
226
109
948
758
4
90
36
341
6,956
191
119
10
1,036
1,092
570
1,097
243
163
1,009
835
6
107
46
432
6,764
195
129
17
1,076
1,137
551
1,062
233
121
896
861
4
109
35
338
14,099
12,323
301
403
270
230
235
1,481
347
977
372
149
980
287
855
154
630
1,189
3,463
14,456
12,584
335
420
287
247
243
1,565
334
1,156
340
155
937
276
812
136
837
1,135
3,369
14,818
12,805
334
394
299
245
293
1,614
182
1,432
375
125
901
342
855
198
885
1,243
3,088
14,617
12,472
334
432
313
245
293
1,304
182
1,508
371
125
901
351
791
198
841
1,209
3,074
15,961
13,837
395
515
334
236
344
1,363
228
1,571
466
137
985
379
888
237
845
1,249
3,665
17,001
14,601
435
532
475
269
429
1,418
279
1,681
462
137
1,003
395
918
251
977
1,342
3,598
19,364
16,610
477
700
457
320
352
1,328
333
1,903
523
140
1,209
580
1,066
287
1,034
1,257
4,644
18,698
16,279
405
702
416
341
339
1,044
327
1,875
466
160
1,434
658
995
301
987
1,259
4,570
1,776
169
58
742
1,872
192
61
718
2,013
206
65
756
2,145
272
65
798
2,124
270
92
809
2,400
291
70
977
2,754
358
55
1,102
2,419
377
78
1,059
TABLE 32. Postdoctoral appointees in science, engineering, and health in all institutions, by detailed field: 2005–11
2008
2009
2010b
2011
Speech pathology/audiology
40
52
84
84
59
Veterinary sciences
432
452
420
498
486
Other health, nec
335
397
482
428
408
na = not applicable; data were not collected at this level of detail. ne = not eligible; data were not collected for this field prior to 2007.
58
470
534
54
464
721
47
444
414
Field
2005
2006
2007olda
2007newa
nec = not elsewhere classified.
a In 2007, eligible fields were reclassified, newly eligible fields were added, and survey was redesigned to improve coverage and coding of eligible units. "2007new" presents
data as collected in 2007; "2007old" shows data as they would have been collected in prior years. Science fields "communication" and "family and consumer sciences/human
sciences" are newly eligible; data for these two fields are only in 2007new. Science field "multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary studies" is also newly eligible; data may have been
reported under other fields before 2007. "Neuroscience" is reported as a separate field of science in 2007new; data were reported under health field "neurology" in 2007old
and previous years. "Architecture" is reported as a separate field of engineering in 2007new; data were reported under "civil engineering" in 2007old and previous years. See
appendix A in http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/nsf10307/ for more detail.
b In 2010, the postdoc section of the survey was expanded, and significant effort was made to ensure that appropriate personnel were providing postdoc data (see appendix A
for more information). Thus, for increases in 2010 or 2011 over 2009 and prior-year data, it is unclear how much is from growth in postdoctoral appointment and how much is
from improved data collection. More information on changes in postdoc data will be available in forthcoming InfoBrief at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/gradpostdoc/.
NOTES: For graduate students, “field” refers to the field of the reporting unit in which the student is enrolled. For postdocs, “field” refers to the field of the unit that reports
postdocs to the GSS.
SOURCE: National Science Foundation/National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, NSF-NIH Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and
Engineering.