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Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society
358
SOLAR AND SPACE PHYSICS: A SCIENCE FOR A TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY
into five subdisciplines (solar, heliosphere, magnetosphere, ionosphere/thermosphere/upper atmospheric
electricity, and space plasmas).
A total of 475 Ph.D.s were identifed. Figure D.1 shows the solar and space physics Ph.D. production
as a function of year. Note the significant increase in Ph.D. production in 2007 that persisted through
2010. Figure D.2 shows the Ph.D. production as a function of year for each of the five subdisciplines.
The increase in Ph.D. production in the second half of the decade is primarily due to ITM and, to a lesser
extent, solar Ph.D.s.
The 475 Ph.D.s were produced at 76 different institutions. The top 10 institutions produced 238 (or
50 percent) of the total. Thirty of the 76 institutions produced only 1 solar and space physics Ph.D. during
the decade. Table D.2 shows the top universities for solar and space physics production (all universities
that averaged at least 1 Ph.D. per year). It should be noted that most of these universities have multiple
departments that produce Ph.D.s in multiple subdisciplines. The overal trend of increasing Ph.D. production in the latter half of the decade is mirrored in these top departments (data not shown). It is difficult to
assess the state of health of individual departments using one decade’s worth of Ph.D.-production numbers
because, even in the top Ph.D.-producing departments, the year-to-year fluctuation was large and the
average time to Ph.D. is 5 to 6 years.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
US and Canadian PhDs
PhDs per year
Year
Total = 475
Figure D-1
FIGURE D.1 U.S. and Canadian Ph.D.s in solar and space physics produced in the past decade. SOURCE: Courtesy of Mark
Moldwin, Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, for the Education and Workforce
Working Group of the Decadal Strategy for Solar and Space Physics (Heliophysics).
Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society
358
SOLAR AND SPACE PHYSICS: A SCIENCE FOR A TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY
into five subdisciplines (solar, heliosphere, magnetosphere, ionosphere/thermosphere/upper atmospheric
electricity, and space plasmas).
A total of 475 Ph.D.s were identifed. Figure D.1 shows the solar and space physics Ph.D. production
as a function of year. Note the significant increase in Ph.D. production in 2007 that persisted through
2010. Figure D.2 shows the Ph.D. production as a function of year for each of the five subdisciplines.
The increase in Ph.D. production in the second half of the decade is primarily due to ITM and, to a lesser
extent, solar Ph.D.s.
The 475 Ph.D.s were produced at 76 different institutions. The top 10 institutions produced 238 (or
50 percent) of the total. Thirty of the 76 institutions produced only 1 solar and space physics Ph.D. during
the decade. Table D.2 shows the top universities for solar and space physics production (all universities
that averaged at least 1 Ph.D. per year). It should be noted that most of these universities have multiple
departments that produce Ph.D.s in multiple subdisciplines. The overal trend of increasing Ph.D. production in the latter half of the decade is mirrored in these top departments (data not shown). It is difficult to
assess the state of health of individual departments using one decade’s worth of Ph.D.-production numbers
because, even in the top Ph.D.-producing departments, the year-to-year fluctuation was large and the
average time to Ph.D. is 5 to 6 years.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
US and Canadian PhDs
PhDs per year
Year
Total = 475
Figure D-1
FIGURE D.1 U.S. and Canadian Ph.D.s in solar and space physics produced in the past decade. SOURCE: Courtesy of Mark
Moldwin, Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, for the Education and Workforce
Working Group of the Decadal Strategy for Solar and Space Physics (Heliophysics).