USA - NIST

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY
GAITHERSBURG LABORATORIES

Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899

Telephone: +1 301 975 3201
Telefax: +1 301 990 1350
E-mail: wolfgang.wiese@nist.gov
URL:   http://physics.nist.gov/lab.html

Atomic Physics Division (provides atomic data for fusion research)
Chief: Wiese, Wolfgang Lothar

Atomic Spectroscopy Group

Reader, Joseph (Leader)
Fuhr, Jeffrey

Kim, Yong-Ki

Musgrove, Arlene

Plasma Radiation Group

Gillaspy, John (Leader)

Research activities:
The National Institute of Standards and Technology was established by Congress "to assist industry in the development of technology needed to improve product quality, to modernize manufacturing processes, to ensure product reliability and to facilitate rapid commercialization of products based on new scientific discoveries." An agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Technology administration, NIST's primary mission is to promote U.S. economic growth by working with industry to develop and apply technology, measurements, and standards. It carries out this mission through a portfolio of four major programs:

• a rigorously competitive Advanced Technology Program providing cost-shared grants to industry for development of high-risk technologies with significant commercial potential;
• a grassroots Manufacturing Extension Partnership helping small and medium-sized companies adopt new technologies;
• a strong laboratory effort planned and implemented in cooperation with industry and focused on measurements, standards, evaluated data, and test methods; and
• a highly visible quality outreach program associated with the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award.

Budget: $ 720 million (FY 01 estimated operating resources including direct appropriations and reimbursable activities)

Staff: About 3,200 scientists, engineers, technicians, and support personnel, plus some 1,200 visiting researchers each year

Sites: Gaithersburg, MD (headquarters - 234 hectare campus) and Boulder, CO (84 hectare campus)

Main research areas in NIST laboratories: Electronic and electrical engineering; Manufacturing engineering; Chemical science and technology; Physics; Materials science and engineering; Building and fire research; Computer systems; Computing and applied mathematics.