Comets Database Beta-Test Now in Process Invitation to Participate
Download Dataset Codebook Here
The Science and Technology Agents of Revolution or STAR database is in the first of several stages of beta testing at this new website StarTechZD.net. The schematic below illustrated the current plans for data to be included in the STAR/StarTechZD database. It is intended that the database be a community resource for those doing research on questions related to science and technology, but some components will only be available for use on site at UCLA or NBER (Cambridge, MA) due to licensing restrictions imposed by commercial data vendors. Data for the ovals without data sources or future updates are dependent on securing additional funding. More information on this project can be found at: http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward.do?AwardNumber=0830983.
Comets Database Structure
Policy, Innovation, Institutional Processes, & Economic Growth

The first data to be posted is an integrated set of data files in STATA and also as a flat file with U.S. patent, NSF and NIH data updated to 2010 [upper right and bottom ovals above). It will be very similar in structure to the data files on StarTechZD's prototype NanoBank [http://www.nanobank.org], but some of the data files may not have the nano flags in the updated years when it is first released. If you are working in nano, please watch for update notices from our listserve for beta testers. The major work we have done is to complete collecting and coding all of the data by ZD areas [see http://www.nanobank.org/downloads.php under "Description for Zucker-Darby Science Area Categorizations" and associated definition tables or alternatively at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1109109] across all science and technology areas (in some cases this update also includes significant amounts of data in the social sciences and humanities). A codebook will also be posted similar to the one available on NanoBank.
We can accommodate up to 100 beta-testers at this site. Each user (even if on the same team) must have his/her own login and agree to non-commercial research use. New users can obtain a login and other details from Lynne Zucker at zucker@ucla.edu. We expect to have these initial data fully public before the end of June 2011. Please let us know if you find errors or problems in the data files so that we can work on fixing them. Additional data will be added as completed with a similar beta-test period before public availability.
Best, Lynne Zucker and Michael Darby