Is there a doctor in the house?(news & notes)(science, engineering doctoral degrees)

The number of science and engineering doctoral degrees awarded in the United States declined again in 2002, according to new data from the National Science Foundation.

In 2001, slightly more than 25,500 science and engineering doctorates were awarded, down from nearly 26,000 in 2000. In 2002, the number dipped to about 24,550 nationwide, representing a 10 percent decline since 1998, when science and engineering degrees peaked at 27,300. Meanwhile, the number of Ph.D.s awarded in most other fields remained nearly the same, with an average hovering around 15,400 annually since 1998, according to the NSF's report, "Science and Engineering Doctorate Awards, 2002." …