This report describes the initial employment during the spring of 2007 of geoscientists who earned their Ph.D.s during the preceding academic year. The term geoscience is used throughout the report and refers to a broad range of fields in Earth, atmospheric, ocean, and space sciences (see Appendix for list of fine fields). The report is based on a survey of geosciences Ph.D.s whose degrees were awarded between April 2005 and December 2006 and who remained in the U.S. after earning their doctorates. The Appendix provides a detailed description of how the survey was conducted.

This study documents employment patterns and demographic characteristics of recent PhDs. It summarizes the latest annual survey of recent Earth, Space, Atmospheric, and Ocean Science PhDs conducted by the American Geological Institute (AGI), the American Geophysical Union (AGU), and the Statistical Research Center of the American Institute of Physics (AIP).

Highlights of the results include the following:

Within STEM fields, employers are reporting a widening gap in the workforce readiness of new graduates. As departments continue to be squeezed with new requirements, chasing the latest technologies and scientific developments and constrained budgets, formal undergraduate programs struggle to fully prepare students for the workforce. One major mechanisms to address gaps within formal education is in life-long learning. Most technical and professional fields have life-long learning requirements, but it is not common in the geosciences, as licensing requirements remain limited.