Where Are All the Computer Scientists?
This issue highlights lots of new technology created by smart people doing exciting work to move the industry forward. They work at big companies, small companies, and universities. Funding from venture capital firms and the government provides the incentive to pursue their ideas, but one thing is certain: Most new technology comes from individuals who set out to learn about science and technology. The quality of U.S. educational institutions is still unparalleled. But the decline in the number of students majoring in science and engineering, and the even bigger decline of students in computer science, is alarming. The percentage of science and engineering students has been dropping for years. According to the National Science Foundation, science and engineering degrees granted in the U.S. have decreased steadily from about 35 percent in the 1960s to just under 32 percent by 2001, the last date for which the NSF has published data. The downward trend is even more pronounced in computer
