The current and future needs and production of engineers and scientists in the United States

Engineers and scientists are important to the economic well being and national defense of the United States. They conceive new ideas and create new products which are needed for use but which are also needed to maintain and grow our country´s capability to compete internationally for markets and for jobs. The need for engineers and scientists has increased substantially over the last twenty years due to population growth and the increased importance and need for technology. However, the number of engineers and scientists being produced by the US has decreased substantially. This paper describes the decreases; its causes, and the impact at the undergraduate and graduate levels, along with possible solutions.