A recently released study from the National Science Foundation (NSF) suggests that Gorman's experience is more than an anomaly. The report, "Who Is Unemployed? Factors Affecting Unemployment Among Individuals With Doctoral Degrees In Science and Engineering," concludes that, while unemployment for Ph.D.'s in general has remained fairly low and stable, at about 1.8 percent from 1973 to 1993, the unemployment rate for older scientists like Gorman has begun to rise along with their age (C.F. Shettle, NSF-97-336).
AGE GAP: While with the NSF, COSMOS Corp.'s Carolyn Shettle reported that unemployment rates rose for older scientists in rates for a similar 1973 population remained stable. Carolyn F. Shettle, who wrote the report while she was director of the doctoral data program at NSF's Division of Science Resource Studies, notes that this phenomenon seems especially striking when comparing the 1973 population with the 1993 population. The rise in unemployment rates for Ph.D.'s ...
