In 1994, U.S. awarded 7000 doctoral degrees in life sciences,

" to the United States for my Ph.D. and postdoc. As I progressed in my training, I internalized the dominant narrative that success meant securing a faculty position at a research-intensive R1 institution."

https://www.science.org/content/article/how-i-found-professional-satisfaction-adjusting-my-definition-success 

 

The term "R1" refers to doctoral universities in the United States classified as having "very high research activity" under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. As of the 2025 update, there are 187 institutions with this designation.

en.wikipedia.org

 

Here are some notable R1 institutions:

• American University (Washington, DC)
• Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ)
• Auburn University (Auburn, AL)
• Baylor University (Waco, TX)
• Binghamton University (Vestal, NY)
• Boston College (Chestnut Hill, MA)
• Boston University (Boston, MA)
• Brandeis University (Waltham, MA)
• Brown University (Providence, RI)
• California Institute of Technology (Pasadena, CA)
• Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA)
• Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, OH)
• Clemson University (Clemson, SC)
• Colorado School of Mines (Golden, CO)
• Columbia University (New York, NY)
• Cornell University (Ithaca, NY)
• Dartmouth College (Hanover, NH)
• Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA)
• Duke University (Durham, NC)
• Emory University (Atlanta, GA)
• Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL)
• George Washington University (Washington, DC)
• Georgetown University (Washington, DC)
• Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA)
• Harvard University (Cambridge, MA)
• Indiana University Bloomington (Bloomington, IN)
• Iowa State University (Ames, IA)
• Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD)
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
• New York University (New York, NY)
• North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC)
• Northwestern University (Evanston, IL)
• Ohio State University (Columbus, OH)
• Pennsylvania State University (University Park, PA)
• Princeton University (Princeton, NJ)
• Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN)
• Rice University (Houston, TX)
• Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ)
• Stanford University (Stanford, CA)
• Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY)
• Texas A&M University (College Station, TX)
• Tufts University (Medford, MA)
• Tulane University (New Orleans, LA)
• University at Buffalo (Buffalo, NY)
• University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL)
• University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ)
• University of Arkansas (Fayetteville, AR)
• University of California, Berkeley (Berkeley, CA)
• University of California, Davis (Davis, CA)
• University of California, Irvine (Irvine, CA)
• University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
• University of California, Riverside (Riverside, CA)
• University of California, San Diego (La Jolla, CA)
• University of California, Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara, CA)
• University of California, Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz, CA)
• University of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
• University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH)
• University of Colorado Boulder (Boulder, CO)
• University of Connecticut (Storrs, CT)
• University of Delaware (Newark, DE)
• University of Florida (Gainesville, FL)
• University of Georgia (Athens, GA)
• University of Hawaii at Manoa (Honolulu, HI)
• University of Houston (Houston

Sources

how many PhD granted in the US in 1994? I was told it was 8000. Verify it.

ChatGPT said:

The information you received stating that 8,000 Ph.D.s were granted in the U.S. in 1994 is significantly lower than the actual figures. According to the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES), U.S. institutions awarded a total of 41,034 doctoral degrees in 1994. This total includes 27,304 research doctorates and 13,730 professional doctorates.

ncses.nsf.gov

 

It's possible that the 8,000 figure refers to a specific subset of doctoral degrees, such as those awarded in a particular field or discipline. For instance, in 1994, approximately 800 history Ph.D.s were awarded, representing a sharp increase from 728 the previous year.

historians.org

 

If you have more context or specific information about the 8,000 figure, please provide it, and I can offer more detailed insights.

Sources

 

 

4o

 

You said:

a specific subset of doctoral degrees in biology, biochemistry?

ChatGPT said:

In 1994, U.S. institutions awarded approximately 7,000 doctoral degrees in the life sciences, which encompasses fields such as biology and biochemistry. This figure aligns with the broader trend observed in the mid-1990s, where the number of life-science Ph.D.s increased from 2,095 in 1963 to 7,696 in 1996.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

The 8,000 figure you mentioned may refer to the total number of life-science doctorates awarded in the mid-1990s, as the numbers were approaching that mark during that period.

It's important to note that the number of Ph.D.s awarded can vary annually and across specific disciplines within the life sciences. For precise data on doctoral degrees conferred in specific subfields like biology or biochemistry for the year 1994, consulting detailed reports from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) or the National Science Foundation (NSF) would be advisable.

Sources

 

 

4o

 

You said:

How many stayed in the US out of 1994's 7,000 doctoral degrees in the life sciences?

ChatGPT said:

Determining the exact number of 1994 life sciences Ph.D. recipients who remained in the United States is challenging due to limited specific data. However, insights from the early 1990s provide some context:

• Foreign Nationals Earning Ph.D.s: In 1993, approximately 28.2% of life sciences Ph.D. recipients were foreign nationals on temporary visas. This percentage slightly declined in subsequent years.

  ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

   

• Stay Rates: Studies from that era estimated that nearly one-third of temporary residents who earned life sciences Ph.D.s in 1987–1988 were working in the U.S. by 1992.

  ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

   

Applying these figures to the 7,000 life sciences Ph.D.s awarded in 1994:

• Foreign Nationals: Approximately 1,974 (28.2%) were foreign nationals on temporary visas.

• Estimated Stay: If one-third of these foreign nationals remained in the U.S., this equates to about 658 individuals.

• Total Remaining: Adding these to the 5,026 U.S. citizens and permanent residents, an estimated 5,684 Ph.D. recipients likely stayed in the U.S.

Please note that these are rough estimates based on available data from the early 1990s. For precise figures, consulting detailed reports from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) or the National Science Foundation (NSF) would be advisable.

Sources

 

 

4o

 

You said:

Can you pull out the list of names of the 7,000 doctoral degrees in the life sciences?

ChatGPT said:

The names of individuals who earned doctoral degrees in the life sciences in 1994 are not publicly available due to privacy regulations. However, if you're looking for specific graduates, you might try:

1. University Archives – Many institutions maintain records of past graduates.
2. Dissertation Databases – Platforms like ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global contain Ph.D. dissertations, which include authors' names and their degree information.
3. National Science Foundation (NSF) & NCSES Reports – While they provide statistical data, they do not disclose names.
4. Professional Associations & Alumni Networks – Organizations like the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) may have historical records.

Would you like help navigating any of these resources?

*** 

"But during my postdoc, I realized I needed to change my perspective. I am a husband and father of two daughters, one of whom requires ongoing medical care. My modest salary and limited benefits made every day feel like walking a tightrope over an abyss of financial instability and emotional exhaustion. Professional stress bled into my home life, where I couldn’t be fully present for my family. In turn, the weight of my personal responsibilities made professional setbacks feel even more crushing. Trapped in this exhausting cycle, I began to reconsider my career path."https://www.science.org/content/article/how-i-found-professional-satisfaction-adjusting-my-definition-success 

 I was particularly drawn to smaller universities that, although they still support research, place a greater emphasis on teaching. I reached out to professors at these institutions and gleaned invaluable insights. I liked that these universities emphasize expertise and vision, along with the opportunity to build meaningful academic programs. They also offered adequate pay and comprehensive benefits—factors that were becoming increasingly important as I considered my long-term career stability. The fog began to lift. This wasn’t about settling for a less prestigious or less impactful institution—it was about finding a space where I could thrive. It was about choosing an environment that would allow me to pursue my professional aspirations while also attending to my personal life.

The students’ engagement and curiosity reignited my passion for mentorship. And research didn’t disappear—it evolved. Summers became dedicated windows for focused experiments and writing manuscripts, and during the academic year I delved into analysis.