Collaborative: Return migration of academic scientists and engineers from the United States to India

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IntroductionReturn migration rates among foreign-born scientists and engineers in the United States are rising, a trend which is commonly referred to as Reverse Brain Drain. This qualitative international collaborative project focuses on the decision process underlying return migration of Indian faculty in science and engineering by pinpointing key economic, political, social and cultural factors. The research focuses on Indian faculty because of their increasing presence and contribution to the science and engineering workforce in the United States and to economic growth. The comparative study features primary data collected through more than 150 in-depth interviews with both stayed and returned faculty in 12 Indian and academic and research institutions in the United States, as well as department heads at each of the locations.Intellectual MeritThe significance of the project lies in its development of theoretical understanding of how the notion of space and place is changing with transnational migration, and how the social construction of nationality is being transformed across borders. The findings will potentially inform research on human capital, science and technology development, transnational migration, and immigration patterns and policies. Given the contributions of foreign-born academics to the scientific innovation of this country, this research deepens the bonds between the United States and India as they build upon their national resources and expertise toward furthering joint research.Potential Broader ImpactsThe results of this research will be integrated into the classroom and the learning experiences of graduate and undergraduate courses on human resource management, workforce diversity and science policy. The findings will also be disseminated through journals publication and conference presentations. The project has potential to be expanded to include larger samples of faculty members from China, South Korea and Vietnam, which are the leading exporters of talent to the American scientific enterprise.