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Three Essays: Hybrid Model Based Analysis of the Science Workforce

Maurer, Julie Ann
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0375-6025
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1543498036220193

Abstract Details

2018, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, EDU Physical Activity and Educational Services.
Workforce related issues in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields are of great importance and have been the subject of many research studies. Academic research is essential to a country’s ability to remain competitive in the global economy. Furthermore, the future economic strength of the United States is reliant on having a productive and well-prepared scientific workforce. Although behavioral and social science research (BSSR) is known to play a vital role in addressing health, security, and other complex challenges facing the country, most existing STEM workforce research does not consider BSS disciplines. Therefore, this dissertation explores academic BSSR workforce supply and demand dynamics, including various factors that influence its stability and size, by developing a simulation model framework. This research considers academic science workforce system behaviors attributable to individual level factors that influence career decisions and the eventual outcomes associated with them. Traditional labor market economics studies are based on linear estimations that do not capture the complexity associated with the overall system, including macroeconomic contexts at the regional level and individual level heterogeneity. However, other recent studies have successfully used system dynamics models to understand some of the less intuitive workforce system behaviors, such as feedback loops, though they use aggregate level factors. Thus, individual level heterogeneity has not been well represented in past academic research workforce supply and demand studies. This dissertation contributes to existing knowledge by investigating the distribution and attributes of BSS researchers employed in the academic workforce in the context of their dynamic interactions with top research universities. The primary research question is how does the relationship between individual BSS researcher characteristics and R1 universities’ hiring decisions combine to influence overall workforce outcomes in the context of regional dynamics? The supply dynamics of the workforce system are simulated using an agent based model (ABM) that allows consideration of researchers’ individual level attributes and behaviors. In the ABM, graduates who choose to enter the academic workforce have three career options, including applying for an academic job, pursuing non-academic jobs in government or industry, or remaining unemployed. The use of ABM allows job seekers to develop emergent behaviors while also considering the hiring preferences of employers. Agents’ workforce outcomes are also simulated within the context of national and regional macroeconomics represented by a system dynamics (SD) model used to simulate the demand dynamics. The resulting model framework is used to consider the effect of policies designed to address the gender pay gap, and to consider how fluctuations in federal funding of academic science research impact system outcomes. The demographic characteristics of the BSS students and researchers initially populating the model are primarily informed by analysis of National Science Foundation’s Survey of Doctoral Recipients (NSF-SDR) data. NSF-SDR data from 1993 through 2013 are analyzed to determine the employment trends represented in the model. Publicly available data including NSF Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development and Higher Education Research and Development Survey, U.S. Census, and other data sources are also used.
Joshua Hawley, Ed.D, (Advisor)
David Stein, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Anand Desai, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
153 p.
Education
workforce, academic science, dynamic modeling, labor market supply, labor market demand, policy modeling

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Maurer, J. A. (2018). Three Essays: Hybrid Model Based Analysis of the Science Workforce [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1543498036220193

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Maurer, Julie. Three Essays: Hybrid Model Based Analysis of the Science Workforce. 2018. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1543498036220193.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Maurer, Julie. "Three Essays: Hybrid Model Based Analysis of the Science Workforce." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1543498036220193

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1543498036220193
618
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.