FALLING BEHIND?

Is the United States falling behind in the global race for scientific and engineering talent? Are U.S. employers facing shortages of the skilled workers that they need to compete in a globalized world? Such claims from some employers and educators have been widely embraced by mainstream media and political leaders, and have figured prominently in recent policy debates about education, federal expenditures, tax policy, and immigration. FALLING BEHIND? offers careful examinations of the existing evidence and of its use by those involved in these debates.

Examining historical precedent, Michael Teitelbaum highlights five episodes of alarm about "falling behind". In each of these episodes the political system responded by rapidly expanding the supply of scientists and engineers, but only a few years later political enthusiasm or economic demand waned. Booms turned to busts, and started the next cycle of alarm, boom, and bust.