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On Monday, I asked what % of US undergrad students in STEM were from China. There was lots of disagreement: the plurality thought <5%, but many also thought 16%+ or even 26%+.
The right answer: 2%.
Do this number and the wildly different guesses matter? Some thoughts. [1/x] https://twitter.com/r_zwetsloot/status/1264912404682547200
The right answer: 2%.
Do this number and the wildly different guesses matter? Some thoughts. [1/x] https://twitter.com/r_zwetsloot/status/1264912404682547200
To come to this 2% number, @jacob_feldgoise and I tracked down tables in National Science Board report appendices and combined it with (finicky) Dept of Education data. This table shows breakdowns by field and the weighted STEM average. (Note: %s are rounded) [2/x]
![To come to this 2% number, @jacob_feldgoise and I tracked down tables in National Science Board report appendices and combined it with (finicky) Dept of Education data. This table shows breakdowns by field and the weighted STEM average. (Note: %s are rounded) [2/x]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EZMH8pLWsAAt-7r.jpg "To come to this 2% number, @jacob_feldgoise and I tracked down tables in National Science Board report appendices and combined it with (finicky) Dept of Education data. This table shows breakdowns by field and the weighted STEM average. (Note: %s are rounded) [2/x]")
Every news cycle seems to have something new about Chinese students. Yesterday it was news about visa restrictions on graduate students with military-related affiliations. Wednesday it was the proposed ban on all Chinese graduate students in STEM. Next wk, who knows. [3/x]
There are many tough issues here, and I don’t think there are simple solutions to the policy problems facing the US when it comes to security concerns about Chinese talent.
But what’s striking about the conversation is how little basic info we really have or agree on. [4/x]
But what’s striking about the conversation is how little basic info we really have or agree on. [4/x]
At @CSETGeorgetown we're doing lots more digging on this topic — pls send us your questions if you see important info gaps.
Data alone is never going to solve tough policy problems. But in solving those problems, we should at least all start from the same basic facts. [5/5]
Data alone is never going to solve tough policy problems. But in solving those problems, we should at least all start from the same basic facts. [5/5]
