Every year since 1991 the NSF sends out this PhD survey that takes an hour to fill out. They send the massive form and they call, call, call pestering me to fill it out. I did the first few years but refuse to anymore. Still, they send it out each year and have this company nag about filling it out. They just do not take 'No thank you' for an answer. This is the second call with no message at work. There has been several calls to my home as well.

Yes, they called and said they were doing a survey from the Natl Science Foundation, where did I get my my Ph.D.?  Said I was with a client, call me back another time, and she proceeded to call back several times in the next hour anyway (I didn't answer).

I am in a similar situation as Tim--Did the survey for a few years after I got my Ph.D.  If I had realized then that it was a life sentence, I never would have agreed to participate in the first place.  They have sent countless paper surveys to my work; some of them I sent back with a big "do not wish to participate - take me off your survey list" written in marker across the page.  To no avail.   And they continue to call both my home and work numbers (boy was I an idiot for giving them my home number!).  At first, I answered the calls and asked politely to be removed from their list.  Once when I did this, I was actually told that this was not possible because they were required by the federal government to call.  Huh?  When I learned to do research with human subjects, one of the cardinal rules was the subject has a right to refuse to participate and to discontinue participation at any time for any reason.  Guess the survey people don't have to play by the ethics rules.  So now when they call, I just pick up the phone and hang it right back up.  They are now down to calling only on Sundays.  I like the idea about leaving the line open for awhile, or maybe speaking French, or answering with various phony business names.  Good luck, fellow harassment victims.

I'm in the same boat, I wonder how much money this survey costs the taxpayer.

this number called my home looking for someone who does not live here...made it sound very urgent  using words like Issues etc...urgent to contact a person...but was secretive about the information they were looking for ..we don't even live in the US
provided an 800 number to call back
still unknown about the purpose
will not answer that number again if it calls.
said they are connected to the University of Chicago
one wonders??