Places of birth and training of physicists

There is no obvious formula for predicting the future scientific manpower needs of the United States, but if we depend upon experience gained during the past several years there is every reason to suppose that these needs will become increasingly pronounced for quite some time to come. A number of federal agencies, acting in concert with certain of the professional organizations, are now methodically investigating each of the many factors involved in the present scientific manpower picture in order to see what may be done to insure the country’s long‐term scientific future. The existing state of international unrest may well extend over a considerable number of years, and it is necessary under the circumstances to know as precisely as possible where we stand with respect to an adequate potential reservoir of scientific and technical manpower. This of course depends largely upon the rate at which American scientists are being trained, as well as upon the quality of the finished product, but any meaningful assessment of the problem must also include a better understanding of some other factors.

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