Graduate Education in Chemistry in the Context of a Changing Environment

从化学部的特殊项目计划授予国家研究理事会化学科学与技术委员会（BCST）的这一奖项，资助在当前社会挑战和博士就业机会的背景下，对化学研究生教育的现状和目标进行审查。化学家 BCST将召集来自企业、行业和政府的利益相关者讨论这些问题，并发布一份总结报告。 这项工作将提供一个知识和意见的基线，可供NSF和其他组织使用，因为他们试图优化他们对化学研究生教育的支持。 智力优势：研究生课程的重点是培养学生制定研究问题的能力，并通过合理的研究计划解决这些问题。 它遵循专家/学徒模式来培养下一代独立的化学研究人员。 因此，对研究生阶段任何一门教育课程的适当性的判断在很大程度上是主观的，并委托给论文委员会，其成员根据他们的经验和他们对社区对新博士学位所需能力的期望的看法做出判断。应该拥有。 这项活动将根据目前的财政状况和社会需求审查这些期望。它将考虑是否当前博士的目标和期望。更广泛的影响：该活动将通过对当前研究生教育目标的批判性评估，针对雇主和更广泛社会的目标和需求，加强教育基础设施。 它将有助于研究生教育与商业，可持续性和其他关键领域的社会需求保持一致。

This award from the Special Projects Program of the Chemistry Division to the Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology (BCST) of the National Research Council funds an examination of the status and goals of graduate education in chemistry in the context of current societal challenges and employment opportunities for Ph.D. chemists. The BCST will convene stakeholders from academe, industry, and government to discuss these issues, and issue a summary report. This effort will provide a baseline of knowledge and opinions that can be used by NSF and other organizations as they try to optimize their support for graduate education in chemistry. Intellectual Merit: The graduate experience is focused on developing a student's ability to formulate research questions and address them with a sound plan of research. It follows an expert/apprentice model to develop the next generation of independent chemistry researchers. As such, judgment as to the adequacy of any individual course of education at the graduate level is largely subjective, and entrusted to the thesis committee, whose members make judgments based on their experience and on their perception of the expectations of the community with respect to the abilities that a new Ph.D. should possess. This activity will examine these expectations in the light of current fiscal conditions and societal needs. It will consider whether the goals and expectations of current Ph.D. programs in chemistry are well-aligned with the current needs.Broader Impacts: The activity will enhance the infrastructure for education by a critical evaluation of current goals of graduate education against goals and needs of employers and broader society. It will contribute to the alignment of graduate education with societal needs in commerce, sustainability, and other critical areas.