Hardly a week goes by without another dire prediction about how the shortage of science and math graduates is crippling the U.S. economy. Many leaders, including President Obama, have called for a concerted effort to increase the numbers of students majoring in what are known as the STEM fields, science, technology, engineering and math.
Several studies have documented a shortage.
But there is also evidence that the claims are exaggerated. Every time I write about the purported shortage, I receive emails from STEM graduates who cannot find jobs.
For example, we are constantly being told that other countries have taken the lead in producing the next generation of engineers. But, as I reported a while back,
a Duke study refuted the contention that India and China are dramatically out producing us in engineers. The study found that comparisons often include foreign graduates who would be considered technicians in the
