What would
we lose if immigrants could no longer come to America? Surprisingly, one of the
most important things America would lose is the contributions made by their
children.
A new study
from the National Foundation for American Policy found a remarkable 83 percent
(33 of 40) of the finalists of the 2016 Intel Science Talent Search were the
children of immigrants. The competition organized each year by the Society for
Science & the Public is the leading science competition for U.S. high
school students. In 2017, the talent search competition was renamed the
Regeneron Science Talent Search, after its new sponsor Regeneron
Pharmaceuticals, and a new group of 40 finalists – America's next generation of
scientists, engineers and mathematicians – are competing in Washington, D.C.,
from March 9 to 15, 2017.
Both
family-based and employment-based immigrants were parents of finalists in 2016.
In fact, 75 percent – 30 out of 40 – of the finalists had parents who worked in
America on H-1B visas and later became green card holders and U.S. citizens.
That compares to 7 children who had both parents born in the United States.
To put that
in perspective, even though former H-1B visa holders represent less than 1
percent of the U.S. population, they were 4 times more likely to have a child
as a finalist in the 2016 Intel Science Talent Search than were parents who
were both born in the United States.
Parents who
were international students were more likely to have a child as a finalist than
native-born parents. A total of 27 of the 40 children – 68 percent – had a
parent who came to America as an international student. That means if
international students cannot remain in America after graduation (through
Optional Practical Training and improved visa policies) it will also deprive
America of the potentially substantial contributions of their children.
Three of the
finalists, or 7.5 percent, had parents who came to America as family-sponsored
immigrants (although the number is 4 parents, or 10 percent, if one counts the
family-sponsored immigrant who married an H-1B visa holder).
Among the 40
finalists of the 2016 Intel Science Talent Search, 14 had parents both born in
India, 11 had parents both born in China, and 7 had parents both born in the
United States. People of Indian and Chinese birth represent only about 1
percent of the U.S. population each, according to the Pew Research Center.
In addition
to China, India and the United States, the countries of origin for the parents
of 2016 Intel Science Talent Search finalists represent a diverse set of
countries, including Canada, Cyprus, Iran, Japan, Nigeria, Singapore, South
Korea and Taiwan.
The evidence
indicates that the children of immigrants are increasing their influence on
science in America. Sixty percent (24 of 40) of the finalists of the 2004 Intel
Science Talent Search had at least one immigrant parent. In 2011, that
proportion rose to 70 percent (28 of 40) who had at least one immigrant. And in
2016, the number rose again to 83 percent (33 of 40) of the finalists of the
Intel Science Talent Search who had at least one immigrant parent.
The science
competition has been called the “Junior Nobel Prize” and more than 95 percent
of winners of the Intel Science Talent Search (STS) traditionally have pursued
science as a career, with 70 percent earning Ph.D.’s or M.D.’s. Many of the
students I interviewed hope to start their own companies.
In 2016, 7
of the 9 top awards were earned by the children of immigrants, including first
place prizes for innovation and basic research. Amol Punjabi won the First
Place Medal of Distinction for Basic Research for developing software that
could be used by pharmaceutical companies to combat cancer and heart disease.
The children
of immigrants among the finalists I interviewed understood the sacrifices their
parents made to ensure them a better life. And, it is important to remember,
all of these children, whether born here or naturalized, are as American as you
and me.
Augusta
Uwamanzu-Nna appreciates all her Nigerian-born parents have done to give her
the best education possible. “They sacrificed so much for me,” said Augusta,
who experimented with ways to improve the properties of cement, which has
practical applications that include helping to prevent oil spills. “My father
grew up during the civil war in Nigeria and couldn’t afford an education.”
Despite the
obstacles, Augusta’s father, Tobias Nna, overcame the odds and was trained as a
physical therapist. He came to the United States on an H-1B visa. “Our goal in
coming to America was to provide an opportunity for our children to study, have
access to journals and computers,” Tobias Nna told me. “I’m very happy they
have taken advantage of these opportunities.”
“Seeing what
my parents did to make a better life for their children has inspired me to do
everything I can to succeed,” said Augusta. “This is the land of opportunity.”
Written by Stuart
Anderson for Forbes
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