2013 Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering (GSS)

Worksheet for
Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates
in Science and Engineering
Fall 2013
National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health

Dear Colleague,
This document provides a worksheet and instructions to help you compile your answers to the Survey
of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering (GSS). It is intended as an aid
for use with the GSS Web survey. Please read page 2 for more information about preparing and
submitting your information.
RTI International, the survey contractor for the GSS, provided the 2013 GSS survey materials to the
individual selected as the School Coordinator for your school. The School Coordinator is responsible
for monitoring your institution’s responses to the survey, and will be in touch with you about completing
and submitting your survey response to NSF. Responses are due on February 28, 2014.
The GSS, conducted since 1966, is an annual survey that provides information on the training of the
future labor force in the science, engineering, and health fields. Your timely response helps us
minimize the cost of follow-ups and ensures that we accurately represent your institution in national
statistical tables.
We appreciate the time and effort you devote to providing this important information.
If you have questions, please e-mail RTI at gss@rti.org or call RTI toll-free at 1-866-558-0781.
Please submit the information on this worksheet via the Web survey at http://gss2013.org.
Sincerely,

John R. Gawalt
Director
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
National Science Foundation

Sherry Mills, M.D., M.P.H.
Director, Office of Extramural Programs
Office of Extramural Research
National Institutes of Health

This information is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended. All information provided will be used for statistical
purposes only. Response is entirely voluntary, and failure to provide some or all of the information will in no way adversely affect your institution. The average
time required for questionnaire completion is 2.7 hours. Response burden comments should be directed to Suzanne Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer,
NSF, via e-mail at splimpto@nsf.gov.
Form approved
OMB No. 3145-0062
Expires 9/30/2014

W2013SC

RTI International, Contractor for GSS
3040 East Cornwallis Road, P.O. Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194 • gss@rti.org • toll-free: (866) 558-0781

Survey Information
Welcome to the 2013 Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering
(GSS). The GSS asks for counts of the following information by organizational unit (unit):
 Graduate Students:
o Part-time graduate students by demographics, including citizenship, ethnicity, race, and sex
o Full-time graduate students by demographics, including citizenship, ethnicity, race, and sex
o Full-time graduate students by financial support, including funding agency (e.g., NSF, NIH) and
mechanism (e.g., training grant, fellowship)
 Postdoctoral Researchers (Postdocs) by:
o Demographics, including citizenship, ethnicity, race, and sex
o Financial support, including funding agency (e.g., NSF, NIH) and mechanism (e.g., training grant,
fellowship)
o Type of degree (professional, PhD, or PhD equivalent) and origin of degree (U.S. or foreign)
 Other Doctorate-Holding Nonfaculty Researchers by:
o Sex and type of degree (professional, PhD, or PhD equivalent)
If you need additional copies of this worksheet, please visit the GSS Web survey site http://gss2013.org
to download additional copies.
For Glossary terms used in the GSS, please refer to the Glossary starting on page 11.

Submissions
Deadline
Submit the data to NSF by February 28, 2014.
Online Submissions
This worksheet is designed to aid you in gathering information for entry in the GSS Web survey.
 Use the GSS Web survey to report and submit the information on this worksheet for each
organizational unit identified by your School Coordinator.
 Access the GSS Web survey at http://gss2013.org using the ID and password you received by email.
 If you’ve lost the ID and password sent by your School Coordinator or you have not yet received an
ID and password, please contact the survey help desk toll-free at 866-558-0781, or e-mail us at
gss@rti.org.
Paper Submissions
 If reporting online is not possible, your School Coordinator may ask you to provide your answers on
this worksheet and return it to his or her office for submission to RTI.
 If your School Coordinator asks you to return your survey response directly by mail, please send it
to RTI at the address listed on the back cover of this worksheet.

1

A. What is the name of this organizational unit?
This information (provided by your School Coordinator) is automatically filled on the GSS Web
survey pages.
Organizational units (“units”) include teaching units (departments or programs) and research
units (research centers or health care facilities). This term replaces terms used previously:
department, program, research center, health care facility.
Important
 Report clinical psychology separately from all other psychology department or programs.
 Report each engineering field (e.g., electrical engineering, mechanical engineering) separately.
Please contact your School Coordinator if you think more organizational units should be specified
for your survey response. The School Coordinator will adjust the GSS Web survey accordingly.
B. Who is the primary contact for your organizational unit, or the person assigned to complete
this survey response (i.e., Unit Respondent)?
Institution name
First name
Last name
Title
Telephone
Telephone extension
E-mail

C. Who is the alternative contact if the primary contact is not available? Examples include your
supervisor, the data preparer, or another coworker.
First name
Last name
Title
Telephone
Telephone extension
E-mail

D. As of fall 2013, what is the highest graduate degree offered by this organizational unit?


PhD or PhD equivalent, such as ScD or DEng
(exclude EdD, MD, or other professional degrees)  Continue with Question 2



Master’s degree (exclude certificates)  Continue with Question 2



No PhD or master’s degree offered  Skip to Question 5A

3

How many graduate students were enrolled part-time for credit in this organizational unit in fall
2013 in each category below? Use your institution's definition of part-time. (Full-time enrollment is
collected in Question 3.)

2

 Check this box if this unit had no eligible part-time graduate students, and then skip to Question 3
 Count only students enrolled part-time for credit in a graduate-degree program in science, engineering, or
health.
 Count students enrolled in more than one organizational unit in only one home unit.
Include
 Part-time students doing thesis or dissertation research.
 Part-time students pursuing a master’s, PhD, or PhD equivalent degree such as an ScD or DEng.
 Part-time master's or PhD candidates (including residents and interns) concurrently enrolled in a professional
degree program (e.g., MD, DDS, DO, DPT, DVM) or a joint medical/PhD program.
 Part-time students who already hold a graduate or professional degree and are seeking an additional degree
in a master's or PhD program.
Exclude
 Graduate students enrolled at a branch or extension center of a U.S. institution in a foreign country.
Citizenship, Ethnicity, and Race
 Count any student who is Hispanic/Latino, or Hispanic/Latino and any other race, in Row B. See the
Glossary (p. 11) for full definitions of citizenship, ethnicity, and race categories.

Citizenship, Ethnicity, and Race of Part-time Students
(report part-time students in whole numbers)

Part-time Graduate Students
Male
1

Female
2

Total
3

1

Foreign nationals holding temporary visas, regardless of
ethnicity or race ........................................................................ A
U.S. citizens and permanent residents (non-U.S. citizens holding green cards)
 Hispanic/Latino ethnicity (one or more races) ................................................................................
B
 Not Hispanic/Latino (one or more races)
One race, American Indian/Alaska Native ........................... C
One race, Asian .................................................................... D
One race, Black/African American ........................................ E
One race, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander ................ F
One race, White .................................................................... G
More than one race (not Hispanic/Latino) ............................. H
 Ethnicity/race unknown or not stated ......................................... I
Total part-time students (sum Rows A–I)1 ....................................... J
Please explain significant differences from the 2012 survey or provide other comments here.

1

Row and column totals are calculated automatically if you report on the GSS Web survey.

Postdoc Data

4

3

How many graduate students were enrolled full-time for credit in this organizational unit in fall 2013 in
each category below? Of these, how many full-time students were enrolled for the first time? Use your
institution's definition of full-time.
 Check this box if this unit had no eligible full-time graduate students, and then skip to Question 5A
 Check this box if this unit had no eligible first-time full-time graduate students
 Check this box if this unit had first-time full-time graduate students but you cannot provide any information
about them
 Count only students enrolled full-time for credit in a graduate-degree program in science, engineering, or health.
 Count students enrolled in more than one organizational unit in only one home unit.
Include
 Full-time students doing thesis or dissertation research.
 Full-time students pursuing a master’s, PhD, or PhD equivalent degree, such as an ScD or DEng.
 Full-time master's or PhD candidates (including residents and interns) concurrently enrolled in a professional
degree program (e.g., MD, DDS, DO, DPT, DVM) or a joint medical/PhD program.
 Full-time students who already hold a graduate or professional degree and are seeking an additional degree in a
master's or PhD program.
Exclude
 Graduate students enrolled at a branch or extension center of a U.S. institution in a foreign country.
First-time enrollment for full-time students
 First-time students are those enrolled for credit in a graduate-degree program in this unit for the first time in fall
2013. This may include graduate students previously enrolled in another graduate degree program at your
institution or at another institution and students that already hold another graduate or professional degree.
Citizenship, Ethnicity, and Race
 Count any student who is Hispanic/Latino, or Hispanic/Latino and any other race, in Row B. See the Glossary
(p. 11) for full definitions of citizenship, ethnicity, and race categories.

Full-time Graduate Students
Citizenship, Ethnicity, and Race of Full-time Students
(report full-time students in whole numbers)

Total full-time

Male
1

Of Col. 3 total, how many are first-time?

Female Total
2

1

Male

Female

Total1

4

5

6

3

Foreign nationals holding temporary visas,
regardless of ethnicity or race ...................................... A
U.S. citizens and permanent residents (non-U.S. citizens holding green cards)
B
 Hispanic/Latino ethnicity (one or more races) ........................................................................

 Not Hispanic/Latino (one or more races)
One race, American Indian/Alaska Native................. C
One race, Asian ......................................................... D
One race, Black/African American ............................ E
One race, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander .... F
One race, White......................................................... G
More than one race (not Hispanic/Latino) ................. H
I
 Ethnicity/race unknown or not stated ......................................................................................
1
Total full-time students (sum Rows A–I) .......................... J
R

Please explain significant differences from the 2012 survey or provide other comments here.
1

Row and column totals are calculated automatically if you report on the GSS Web survey.

Postdoc Data

5

4

How many graduate students enrolled full-time for credit in this organizational unit in fall 2013 received
their largest source of financial support from each category below? Report students by mechanism of
support and by sex. Use your institution's definition of full-time.
 Check this box if this unit had no eligible full-time graduate students, and then skip to Question 5A





Count only students enrolled full-time for credit in a graduate-degree program in science, engineering, or health.
Count students enrolled in more than one organizational unit in only one home unit.
If a student receives support from two or more sources equally, select one to report as the primary source.
See the Glossary (p. 11) for definitions of terms used in Question 4.

Include





Full-time graduate students doing thesis or dissertation research.
Full-time students pursuing a master’s, PhD, or PhD equivalent degree, such as an ScD or DEng.
Full-time master's or PhD candidates (including residents and interns) concurrently enrolled in a professional
degree program (e.g., MD, DDS, DO, DPT, DVM) or a joint medical/PhD program.
Full-time students who already hold a graduate or professional degree and are seeking an additional degree in a
master's or PhD program.

Exclude


Full-time graduate students enrolled at a branch or extension center of a U.S. institution in a foreign country.

Full-time Graduate Students
Largest Source of Financial Support
(use all graduate academic support—
tuition reimbursement, waivers, stipends,
etc.—to determine largest source)

Largest Mechanism of Financial Support
Total by Sex
(report full-time students in whole numbers)
(must sum to total
Research Teaching
in Column 6)
Fellow- Trainee- assistant- assistant- Other
Male Female
ships
ships
ships
ships
support Total1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Federal (e.g., training grants from federal agencies; however, federal loans are reported in Row L)
A
 Department of Defense...........................................................................................................................
B
 HHS–NIH Only........................................................................................................................................
C
 HHS–Other than NIH ..............................................................................................................................
D
 NSF ........................................................................................................................................................
E
 Department of Agriculture .......................................................................................................................
F
 NASA ......................................................................................................................................................
G
 Department of Energy.............................................................................................................................
2
H
 Other federal sources ............................................................................................................................

Nonfederal (Institutional means the support from your institution: tuition reimbursement, waivers, stipends, etc.)
I
 Institutional, state/local government........................................................................................................
J
 Other U.S. sources .................................................................................................................................
K
 Non-U.S. sources ...................................................................................................................................

Self (Student’s own resources means the personal and family financial resources and federal and other loans)
Report in “Other support” and by sex:
L
 Student’s own resources ........................................................................................................................
M
Total (sum Rows A–L)1 ..................................................................

Please explain significant differences from the 2012 survey or provide other comments here.

1
2

Shaded row and column totals will be automatically calculated if you are responding on the GSS Web survey.
This also includes the Fulbright Program (State Department) and the GI Bill (Department of Veterans Affairs).

Postdoc Data

6

5A

In fall 2013, how many postdocs did this organizational unit have in each category below? Please do
not count other doctorate-holding nonfaculty researchers. (Information on other doctorate-holding
nonfaculty researchers is collected in Question 6.)
 Check this box if this unit had no postdocs
 Check this box if this unit had postdocs but you cannot provide any information about them


Count individuals in one and only one unit.



Include clinical fellows if the primary purpose of the appointment is research training.



Exclude postdocs with appointments in residency training programs.



Count postdocs who are Hispanic/Latino, or Hispanic/Latino and any other race, in Row B only.



Please use your institution’s definition of postdoc. See the Glossary on page 11 for full definitions of citizenship,
ethnicity, and race categories.

Citizenship, Ethnicity, and Race of Postdocs
(report postdocs in whole numbers)

Male
1

Female
2

Total
3

1

Foreign nationals holding temporary visas,
regardless of ethnicity or race ...................................... A
U.S. citizens and permanent residents (non-U.S. citizens holding green cards)
B
 Hispanic/Latino ethnicity (one or more races) ........................................................................

 Not Hispanic/Latino (one or more races)
One race, American Indian/Alaska Native ............... C
One race, Asian ....................................................... D
One race, Black/African American ........................... E
One race, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander .. F
One race, White ....................................................... G
More than one race (not Hispanic/Latino)................ H
I
 Ethnicity/race unknown or not stated ......................................................................................
1

Total Postdocs (sum Rows A–I) ........................................ J
Please explain significant differences from the 2012 survey or provide other comments here.

1

Row and column totals are calculated automatically if you report on the GSS Web survey.

Postdoc Data

7

5B

In this organizational unit in fall 2013, how many postdocs received their largest source of financial
support from each category below? Please do not count other doctorate-holding nonfaculty
researchers.
 Check this box if this unit had no postdocs
 Check this box if this unit had postdocs but you cannot provide any information about them


Count individuals in one and only one unit.



Include clinical fellows if the primary purpose of the appointment is research training.



Exclude postdocs with appointments in residency training programs.



Please use your institution’s definition of postdoc. See the Glossary on page 11 for definitions of other terms
used in Question 5B.

Largest Mechanism of Financial Support
(report postdocs in whole numbers)
Largest Source of Financial Support

Fellowships
1

Traineeships
2

Research
grants
3

Other
support
4

Total
5

1

Federal (e.g., training grants from federal sources)
 Department of Defense ..................................................................................................................
A
 HHS–NIH Only ...............................................................................................................................
B
 HHS–Other than NIH .....................................................................................................................
C
 NSF ................................................................................................................................................
D
 Department of Agriculture ..............................................................................................................
E
 NASA .............................................................................................................................................
F
 Department of Energy ....................................................................................................................
G
 Other federal sources ....................................................................................................................
H

Sub-total, Federal (sum Rows A–H)1 ....................................
I
Nonfederal
 Institutional, state/local government...............................................................................................
J
 Other U.S. sources ........................................................................................................................
K
 Non-U.S. sources...........................................................................................................................
L
M
Sub-total, Nonfederal (sum Rows J–L)1 ...............................

Personal resources .............................................................
N Report under “Other support” (and in “Total”)
O
Unknown or not stated .......................................................
P
Total Postdocs (sum Rows I, M, N, & O)1 ...............
………….
Total Postdocs, Men ................................................................
Q
Total Postdocs, Women ...........................................................
R
Please explain significant differences from the 2012 survey or provide other comments here.
1

Shaded row and column totals will be automatically calculated if you are responding on the GSS Web survey.

Postdoc Data

8

5C1

Please report the number of postdocs in this organizational unit in fall 2013 by type of doctoral
degree and by mechanism of support.
 Check this box if this unit had no postdocs
 Check this box if this unit had postdocs but you cannot provide any information about them

Largest Mechanism of Financial Support
(report postdocs in whole numbers)
Type of Doctoral Degree

Fellowships
1

Traineeships
2

Research
grants
3

Other
support
4

Total
5

1

 Postdocs with a professional degree (e.g., MD,
A
DVM, DO, DDS) .........................................................................................................................
 Postdocs with a doctoral degree (e.g., PhD, ScD,
B
DEng) .........................................................................................................................................
 Postdocs with both professional and doctoral
C
degree (e.g., MD-PhD, DVM-PhD) ............................................................................................
 Postdocs with doctoral degree type unknown ...........................................................................
D
Total Postdocs (determined from 5B)1 .....................................
E
Please explain significant differences from the 2012 survey or provide other comments here.

1

Shaded row and column totals will be automatically calculated if you are responding on the GSS Web survey.

5C2

Please report the number of postdocs in this organizational unit in fall 2013 by type of doctoral
degree and by citizenship.
Postdocs

Type of Doctoral Degree

U.S. citizens and Foreign nationals
permanent
with temporary
residents
visas
1
2

Total
3

1

 Postdocs with a professional degree (e.g., MD,
A
DVM, DO, DDS) .........................................................................................................................
 Postdocs with a doctoral degree (e.g., PhD, ScD,
B
DEng) .........................................................................................................................................
 Postdocs with both professional and doctoral
C
degree (e.g., MD-PhD, DVM-PhD) ............................................................................................
D
 Postdocs with doctoral degree type unknown ...........................................................................
1
E
Total Postdocs (determined from 5A) .................................

Please explain significant differences from the 2012 survey or provide other comments here.

1

Shaded row and column totals will be automatically calculated if you are responding on the GSS Web survey.

Postdoc Data

9

5C3

Please report the number of postdocs in this organizational unit in fall 2013 by origin of doctoral
degree.

Total1

Origin of Doctoral Degree
 Postdocs who received their doctoral degree in the United States (including Puerto Rico
and the U.S. territories) ...............................................................................................................A
 Postdocs who received their doctoral degree in a foreign country ..........................................B
 Postdocs with origin of doctoral degree unknown .....................................................................C
1

Total Postdocs (sum Rows A–C) ................................................................................................. D
Please explain significant differences from the 2012 survey or provide other comments here.

1

Shaded row and column totals will be automatically calculated if you are responding on the GSS Web survey.

6

Please report the number of other doctorate-holding nonfaculty researchers in this organizational unit
in fall 2013 by sex and type of doctoral degree. This includes individuals who are not considered
postdocs or members of the faculty and who are primarily involved in research.
 Check this box if this unit had no other doctorate-holding nonfaculty researchers
 Check this box if this unit had other doctorate-holding nonfaculty researchers but you cannot provide any
information about them

Nonfaculty Researchers
Type of Doctoral Degree

Men
1

Women
2

Total
3

1

 Nonfaculty researchers with a professional degree
A
(e.g., MD, DVM, DO, DDS) ................................................................................................
…...
 Nonfaculty researchers with a doctoral degree (e.g.,
B
PhD, ScD, DEng).......................................................................................................................
 Nonfaculty researchers with both professional and
C
doctoral degree (e.g., MD-PhD, DVM-PhD) ............................................................................
 Nonfaculty researchers with doctoral degree type
D
unknown ...................................................................................................................................
1

Total Nonfaculty Researchers (sum Rows A–D) .......................
E
Please explain significant differences from the 2012 survey or provide other comments here.

1

Shaded row and column totals will be automatically calculated if you are responding on the GSS Web survey.

Postdoc and Nonfaculty Researcher Data

10

Glossary
Citizenship—Count individuals as either U.S. citizens
and permanent residents, or as foreign nationals
holding temporary visas. Do not count foreign
individuals living outside the United States.
 U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents—U.S.
citizens, including those from Puerto Rico and the
U.S. territories, and permanent residents holding
green cards.
 Foreign Nationals Holding Temporary Visas—
Individuals in the United States on temporary visas.
Individuals who are native residents of Puerto Rico
or a U.S. territory, or permanent residents holding
green cards, should be included under U.S. citizens
and permanent residents. Non-U.S. citizens without
temporary visas who reside outside the U.S. and
who are enrolled in an online degree program at a
U.S. institution should be excluded. Do not report
foreign nationals by ethnicity or race.
Department of Agriculture—Financial support from
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) includes
research assistants working on projects financed out of
agency formula funds, competitive research grants,
and institutional fellowship and training grants.
Department of Defense—Financial support from the
U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), including the
Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well
as other programs within DoD.
Department of Energy—Financial support from U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) research grants,
including those supported by grants at the DOE
National Laboratories.
Doctoral Degree (for Postdocs)—Includes doctorates
such as PhD, ScD, DSc, DEng, DESc, DES, DNSc,
DPH, EdD, DA, DBA, DMA, DM, DSW, DDES, DPA,
DPE, DCM, DHL, DIT, DME, DML, ThD, DFA, JSD,
SJD, STD, JCD.
Ethnicity—The U.S. Office of Management and
Budget defines ethnicity separately from race (please
see separate entry for Race). In this survey, ethnicity
refers to whether an individual is of Hispanic or Latino
descent—a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican,
South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or
origin, regardless of race. Also see Hispanic/Latino
ethnicity, one or more races.
Federal Sources of Support—Financial support
provided by the federal agencies in Rows A–G. For
graduate students, count students primarily supported
by federally guaranteed student loans (student’s own
resources) as self-supported. See additional entries for
the Department of Defense, the National Institutes of
Health, Health and Human Services, the National
Glossary

Science Foundation, the Department of Agriculture,
and the Department of Energy.
Fellowships—A competitive award (often from a
national competition) to a graduate student or a
postdoc that requires no work of the recipient.
First-Time Enrollment—Graduate students enrolled
for credit in a graduate-degree program in your
organizational unit for the first time in fall 2013. This
may include graduate students previously enrolled in
another graduate degree program at your institution or
at another institution. It may also include students that
already hold another graduate or professional degree.
Only count full-time, first-time students in these
columns.
Foreign Nationals Holding Temporary Visas—
Individuals in the United States on temporary visas.
Individuals who are native residents of Puerto Rico or a
U.S. territory, or permanent residents holding green
cards, should be included under U.S. citizens and
permanent residents. Non-U.S. citizens without
temporary visas who reside outside the U.S. and who
are enrolled in an online degree program at a U.S.
institution should be excluded. Do not report foreign
nationals by ethnicity or race.
Full-time Graduate Student—Use your institution’s
policy and definition to count full-time students.
GSS (Survey of Graduate Students and
Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering)—An
annual survey collecting information about graduate
enrollment, postdoctoral researchers, and doctorateholding nonfaculty researchers in science, engineering,
and selected health fields. Jointly sponsored by NSF
and NIH, the GSS provides a comprehensive picture of
the training of future scientists, engineers, and health
professionals in U.S. graduate schools.
Health and Human Services (HHS)—Report financial
support from the institutes or divisions of the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) in Row B. Report support
from all other components of the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) under Row C. See
HHS–National Institutes of Health (NIH) Only and
HHS–Other than NIH.
HHS–National Institutes of Health (NIH) Only—
Report financial support received from the following
organizations within the National Institutes of Health
(NIH):
 John E. Fogarty International Center
 National Cancer Institute
 National Center for Complementary and Alternative
Medicine

11

 National Institute on Minority Health and Health
Disparities
 National Center for Advancing Translational
Sciences
 National Eye Institute
 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
 National Human Genome Research Institute
 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
 National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal
and Skin Diseases
 National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and
Bioengineering
 National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development
 National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial
Research
 National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and
Kidney Diseases
 National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
 National Institute of General Medical Sciences
 National Institute of Mental Health
 National Institute of Neurological Disorders and
Stroke
 National Institute of Nursing Research
 National Institute on Aging
 National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
 National Institute on Deafness and Other
Communication Disorders
 National Institute on Drug Abuse
 National Library of Medicine
 NIH Office of the Director
HHS–Other than NIH—Other than NIH, the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
includes the following organizations:
 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
 Health Resources and Services Administration
 National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health
 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration
 U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Highest Degree Offered—The highest degree granted
(master’s or PhD) by the unit.
Hispanic/Latino Ethnicity, one or more races—Only
report ethnicity for U.S. citizens (including those from
Puerto Rico and U.S. territories). All foreign nationals
holding temporary visas should be reported in Row A.
Include all individuals of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto
Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish
culture or origin, regardless of race. Count all
individuals who are Hispanic/Latino or Hispanic/Latino
and any other race(s) in this category.
ID—A unique identification assigned to each user for
the purpose of logging into the GSS online data
collection system. Also referred as User ID.
Glossary

Institutional, State/Local Government Support—
Financial support (such as stipends or tuition) provided
by the institution or state or local governments. This
category includes students receiving tuition waivers.
Largest or Primary Source of Support—The source
of funds that provides the largest amount (highest
percentage) of financial support for each graduate
student or postdoc. When determining the largest
source of support for graduate students, consider all
graduate school academic expenses (tuition, fees,
etc.). If a student or postdoc is supported by two or
more equal sources of support, select one as the
primary.
Largest or Primary Mechanism of Support—The
mechanism of funding that provides the largest amount
(highest percentage) of financial support for each
graduate student or postdoc. If a student or postdoc is
supported by two or more equal mechanisms of
support, select one as the primary.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA)—Report individuals who receive financial aid
from this agency.
National Science Foundation (NSF)—Financial
support from the U.S. National Science Foundation
(NSF) fellowships and traineeships, as well as support
under NSF research grants.
Nonfaculty Researchers—All doctorate-holding
researchers who (a) are not considered either
postdoctoral researchers or members of the faculty,
and (b) are involved principally in science and
engineering or health research activities. Also referred
to as Other Doctorate-Holding Nonfaculty
Researchers.
Nonfederal Sources of Support—Support from state
and local government; support from your institution,
such as tuition waivers and stipends; support from
foreign sources, such as foreign governments, foreign
firms, and agencies of the United Nations; and other
U.S. sources, such as support from nonprofit
institutions, private industry, and all other nonfederal
U.S. sources.
Non-U.S. sources—Funding from non-U.S. sources,
including foreign governments, foreign companies, and
specialized agencies of the United Nations.
Not Hispanic/Latino ethnicity—Count only
individuals who are not of Hispanic or Latino descent
in Rows C–I. Individuals who are Hispanic/Latino, or
Hispanic/Latino and any other race should be counted
in Row B.
 One race, American Indian or Alaska Native—A
person of only one race having origins in any of the
original peoples of North and South America
(including Central America) and who maintains
tribal affiliation or community attachment
12

 One race, Asian—A person of only one race
having origins in any of the original peoples of the
Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian
subcontinent, for example, Cambodia, China, India,
Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine
Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam
 One race, Black or African American—A person
of only one race having origins in any of the black
racial groups of Africa
 One race, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander—A person of only one race having origins
in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam,
Samoa, or other Pacific islands
 One race, White—A person of only one race
having origins in any of the original peoples of
Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa
 More than one race reported (not
Hispanic/Latino)—A person reporting two or more
of the race categories listed above. Individuals who
report being Hispanic/Latino and one or more race,
should be reported in Row B instead.
Organizational Unit (Unit)—This term refers to the
names of the organizational units where graduate
students, postdoctoral researchers, and doctorateholding nonfaculty researchers are enrolled and/or
work. A unit can be a teaching unit, research unit, or
both. Also see Research Unit and Teaching Unit.
Other Doctorate-Holding Nonfaculty Researchers—
All doctorate-holding researchers who (a) are not
considered either postdoctoral researchers or
members of the faculty and (b) are involved principally
in science and engineering or health research
activities. Also referred to as Nonfaculty Researcher.
Other Federal sources—Financial support from U.S.
federal agencies not listed elsewhere. Examples are
the Fulbright program (State Department), the GI Bill
(Department of Veterans Affairs) and various programs
in the Department of Education.
Other support—All other mechanisms of support for
graduate students or postdocs.
Other U.S. sources—Financial support from industrial
firms, nonprofit institutions (e.g., independent research
institutes, professional societies, philanthropic
foundations), and all other sources of support
originating within the United States. It does not include
loans, family money, personal savings used by
individuals supporting themselves, or federal or
academic institutional sources of support.
Part-Time Graduate Student—Use your own
institution’s policy and definition to count part-time
students.
Password—Used with the user ID for the purpose of
logging into the GSS Web survey. The password may
be changed by the user by clicking on “Change
password” in the menu at the top of the screen. The
new password must be at least 8 characters in length
Glossary

and include a combination of upper- and lowercase
letters, numbers, and symbols. School Coordinators
can resend password and ID information to unit
respondents on the Send or Resend ID/Password
screen. See User ID.
Personal resources (for Postdocs)—The personal
and family financial resources, including federal and
other loans.
Postdoc Coordinator—Individual responsible for
submitting the postdoc portion of the survey to NSF.
Postdoctoral Researcher or Postdoc—The definition
of a postdoc varies by institution. Please use your
institution’s definition of a postdoc. NSF defines a
postdoc as meeting both of the following qualifications:
1. Holds a recent doctoral degree, generally
awarded within the last 5–7 years, such as
 PhD or equivalent (e.g., ScD or DEng) or


First professional degree in a medical or
related field (MD, DDS, DO, DVM) or



Foreign degree equivalent to a U.S. doctoral
degree.
2. Has a limited-term appointment, generally no
more than 5–7 years,
 Primarily for training in research or
scholarship and


Working under the supervision of a senior
scholar in a unit affiliated with your institution.

Professional Degree (for Postdocs)—PhD
equivalent medical degrees, such as MD, DO, DVM,
DDS, DNP, DPM, PharmD, PsyD, DMD, ND, DC, OD,
DPT, AuD, OTD, DScPT.
Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories—U.S. territories
include American Samoa, Guam, Federated States of
Micronesia, the Northern Marianas, and the U.S. Virgin
Islands.
Race—Only report race for U.S. citizens (including
those from Puerto Rico and U.S. territories) and
permanent residents. All foreign nationals holding
temporary visas should be reported in Row A. The U.S.
Office of Management and Budget defines race
separately from ethnicity (please see entry for Ethnicity
and Hispanic/Latino).The GSS survey uses the
following definitions of race:
 One race, American Indian or Alaska Native—A
person of only one race having origins in any of the
original peoples of North and South America
(including Central America) and who maintains
tribal affiliation or community attachment
 One race, Asian—A person of only one race
having origins in any of the original peoples of the
Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian
subcontinent, for example, Cambodia, China, India,
Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine
Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam
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 One race, Black or African American—A person
of only one race having origins in any of the black
racial groups of Africa
 One race, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander—A person of only one race having origins
in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam,
Samoa, or other Pacific islands
 One race, White—A person of only one race
having origins in any of the original peoples of
Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa
 More than one race reported (non-Hispanic/
Latino)—Individuals reporting two or more of the
race categories listed above. Individuals who report
being Hispanic/Latino and one or more race, should
be reported in Row B instead.
Race/ethnicity unknown or not stated—Use this
category if neither the race nor the ethnicity of the
individual is known. If the race is known, but the
ethnicity is unknown, report the individual by race. If
the individual is Hispanic or Latino but the race is
unknown, report the individual as Hispanic/Latino.
Research Assistantships—A financial award given to
a graduate student where most of the student’s
responsibilities are devoted primarily to research
assistant activities.

Teaching Unit—Departments or programs that grant
graduate-level research-oriented degrees including
master’s or PhD or equivalent degrees (i.e., ScD,
DEng). Do not include units that grant only professional
degrees. Also see Research Unit and Organizational
Unit.
Traineeships—A financial award given to a graduate
student or a postdoc selected by the institution.
Unit—See Organizational Unit.
Unit Respondent—Person(s) responsible for reporting
unit data to the School Coordinator.
Unknown or not stated—Use this category if the
sources of financial support for the postdoc is unknown
or cannot be determined.
User ID—A unique identification assigned to each user
for the purpose of logging into the GSS online data
collection system. Also referred to as ID.
U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents—U.S.
citizens, including those from Puerto Rico and the U.S.
territories, and permanent residents holding green
cards.

Research Grant—A financial assistance award given
to an organization or an individual postdoc that
supports specific research goals.
Research Unit—Research centers, health care
facilities, and other organizations at the academic
institution that appoint postdoctoral researchers and/or
employ doctorate-holding nonfaculty researchers. Also
see Organizational Unit and Teaching Unit.
School Coordinator—Person responsible for
completing the GSS for the entire school or a portion of
the institution.
Self-Support—Report students primarily supported by
loans (including federal loans) or personal or family
financial contributions.
Student’s own resources—The personal and family
financial resources, and federal and other loans.
Teaching Assistantships—A financial award given to
a graduate student where most of the student’s
responsibilities are devoted primarily to teaching
assistant activities.

Glossary

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THANK YOU
Please submit the information on this worksheet via the GSS Web survey at
http://gss2013.org.
Or
Return your completed worksheet(s) to your School Coordinator in time to meet
February 28, 2014, deadline.
If your School Coordinator asks you to return your worksheet(s) directly by mail,
please send to:
NSF-NIH GSS
c/o RTI International
3040 Cornwallis Road, P.O. Box 12194
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194

Questions?
Call Ms. Jamie Friedman toll-free at 1-866-558-0781,
or e-mail us at gss@rti.org.

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