How many researchers are there in the world?

Presentation at the 5 November 2021 NBER Conference on "Investments in Early Career Scientists: Data and Research Gaps" (Meeting agenda available here: https://www.nber.org/conferences/investments-early-career-scientists-data-and-research-gaps-fall-2021). Many studies of innovation focus on expenditures for research and development (R&D). In this report, we use R&D personnel data from international sources to determine global and regional employer research-years, and couple with employee surveys, educational attainment, and population data to estimate global and regional researcher headcount. We argue that the employee survey approach provides a useful method for assessing innovation capacity, and, if adopted more broadly, can provide a strategic framework for countries and regions to develop and support human capital to support innovative activities. We consider the role of funding and R&D personnel in the production of patents and publications and find that R&D personnel measures have more explanatory power. Paper forthcoming.