the nelson diversity surveys (nds) are a collection of data sets that quantify the representation of women and minorities among professors, by science and engineering discipline, at research universities. they consist of four data sets compiled by dr. donna nelson, professor of chemistry at the university of oklahoma during fiscal years (fy) 2002, 2005, 2007, and 2012. these surveys were each complete populations, rather than samples. consequently, the surveys quantified characteristics of the faculty which had never been revealed previously, drawing great attention from women and minorities. furthermore, the surveys initially came at a time when these underrepresented groups were becoming concerned and vocal about perceived inequities in academia. at the time the surveys were initiated, (1) the mit study of 1999, expressing the concerns of women scientists (including nancy hopkins), had just been issued, and (2) underrepresented minority (urm) science faculty noticed urm students increase among phd recipients without a corresponding increase among recently hired professors. because the nds were complete populations, which disaggregated faculty by race, by rank, by gender, and by discipline, urm faculty had the documentation to support their concerns.