About the Statistical Research Center

The Statistical Research Center collects, analyzes and disseminates data on education, careers, and diversity in physics, astronomy and other physical sciences. We are your source for reliable data on:

  • Enrollments and degrees at all levels of education in physics, astronomy and related fields from high school through the PhD.
  • Demographic profiles of physics faculty in high schools, 2-year colleges, 4-year colleges, and universities.
  • Common careers of physicists and astronomers with bachelor's degrees, master's degrees or PhDs.
  • Workforce dynamics including unemployment, underemployment, staff turnover, retirement and the number of positions available.
  • Issues that cut across education and employment such as the representation of women and minorities in physics and related fields.

We also contract with professional societies to carry out surveys on topics of particular concern to their organizations, including:

  • Profiles of professional society membership.
  • Studies of the benefits of society membership.
  • Salaries and employment prospects in specific fields.
 

Senior staff and their areas of expertise

Susan White, Director, [email protected] or 301-209-3056

  • High school physics teachers or students
  • Physics faculty in 2-year colleges
  • Contract surveys
  • Statistical methods

 

 

 
Parick Mulvey

Patrick Mulvey, Research Manager, [email protected] or 301-209-3076

  • Degrees awarded (bachelor’s, master’s or PhDs) in physicsand astronomy
  • Student enrollment trends at the undergraduate or graduate level
  • Initial employment of recent bachelor’s degree recipients in physics and astronomy
  • Initial employment of recent physics and astronomy PhDs

 

Anne Marie Porter, Survey Scientist, [email protected] or 301-209-3039

  • Representation of women in physics and astronomy
  • Faculty members in physics and astronomy departments 
  • Persistence of undergraduate students in physics
  • PhD Plus 10 study of mid-career physics PhD recipients

 
Judith Mulvey

Judith Mulvey, Statistics Project Coordinator, [email protected] or 301-209-3070

  • Products and services the Statistical Research Center offers, e.g. mailing lists
  • General inquiries or when you are unsure of whom to contact with your question
 

AIP Senior Research Fellow

Racehl Ivie

Rachel Ivie was named the inaugural Senior Research Fellow at the American Institute of Physics (AIP) in early 2021. For most of her career at AIP, she has worked with the Statistical Research Center, where she recently served as Director. Dr. Ivie received her PhD in sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she specialized in research methods, statistics, and gender.  While at AIP, she has studied the careers of physicists and astronomers, particularly the careers of women in these fields. She has designed and carried out numerous studies: from a global study of scientists outlining gender differences in career progress to a longitudinal study of astronomy graduate students that explains the factors that may make women more likely to leave the field. Dr. Ivie is a Fellow of the American Astronomical Society.

Contact information: [email protected] or 301-209-3081
 

Operational Resource Group

2020 Members

Carlos López-Mariscal, Committee Chair, Underwater Photonics, MX

Angela C Johnson, St. Mary's College of Maryland, MD

Adrian Lenardic, Rice University, TX

Laurie McNeil, University of North Carolina, NC

Marie Plumb, Representing the community college community, NY

Vashti Sawtelle, Michigan State University, MI

Aaron Schuetz, Yorktown High School, VA

Quinton Williams, Howard University, DC