Office of Academic Affairs

Program Overview

Academic Affairs (AA) serves as the focal point for the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) cooperation with academic institutions, and coordinates all academic affairs of NIST. In particular AA administers the NIST/National Research Council (NRC) Postdoctoral Research Associateships Program, coordinates NIST unpaid High School Internship Program, assists staff of the technical Operating Units (OU's) in identifying and promoting research collaboration efforts with universities on scientific and technical research projects of mutual interest, interacts with committees within NIST, with outside organizations and other government agencies, and serves as an academic related resource at NIST.

NIST Postdoctoral Research Associateships Program

NIST's Postdoctoral Program supports a nationwide competitive postdoctoral program administered in cooperation with the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council. The postdoctoral program brings research scientists and engineers of unusual promise and ability to perform advanced research related to the NIST mission, introduces the latest university research results and techniques to NIST scientific programs , strengthens mutual communication with university researchers, shares NIST unique research facilities with the U.S. scientific and engineering communities, and provides a valuable mechanism for the transfer of research results from NIST to the scientific and engineering communities.

Activities and duties include administering the NIST/NRC Postdoctoral Research Associateships Program (contracts, adviser nominations, applications, lab/center reviews, allocation process of positions, award and rejection notifications, final reports from associates and evaluation reports from advisers), conducting entrance meetings with new associates, providing networking opportunities for associates, updating yearly the book on Opportunities for Research, arranging and participating in NRC staff meetings with NIST advisers and associates, and participating in the NRC Laboratories representatives meetings.

In 2003, the total number of applicants was 158. NIST selected 56 associates for fiscal year 2004. The distributions are: Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory (8), Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory (1), Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory (17), Physics Laboratory (9), Material Science and Engineering Laboratory (18), Building and Fire Research Laboratory (1), Information Technology Laboratory (2).

For more information regarding the Postdoctoral Research Associateships Program.

NIST High School Internship Program

NIST Outreach to Minority Serving Institutions (MSI)

OAA coordinates the collection of information on the status of outreach activities to minority serving institutions (MSI) by NIST staff members. These outreach activities include:

NIST staff visits to MSI,
NIST staff participation in conferences with MSI, and
MSI visits to NIST

but excludes information on grants, contracts, fellowships, and scholarships which are collected by the NIST Civil Rights Office.

Liaison and Collaboration with Universities

AA promotes the interests of NIST in the academic community by establishing and maintaining relationships with major universities and colleges whose curriculums match the personnel requirements of NIST technical programs.
Assist staff of the technical OU's in identifying and promoting research collaboration efforts with universities on scientific and technical research projects of mutual interest.
Coordinate the need for written agreements with universities in developing joint research programs, staff exchanges, and mutual cooperation.

Interactions with Committees and Programs within NIST

Members of AA interact, assist, and collaborate on educational matters with the NIST Student Programs, Educational Clearinghouse, Civil Rights Office, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Committee, Association of NIST African American Staff, Association of NIST Asian Pacific Staff, Committee for Women, Sigma Xi Scientific Honor Society.

Interactions with Outside Organizations and Government Agencies

Extramurally, members of this office represent NIST on academic related matters, interacting with Committee on Women, Maryland Suburban High Technical Council, Association of American State Colleges and Universities, National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, National Physical Science Consortium, American Association of Engineering Education, National Science Foundation, and the Department of Education.

Academic Resource

AA serves as a resource for NIST Postdoctoral Programs and other academic affairs.
Identify and maintain knowledge of fellowship and assistantship programs that are of benefit to NIST.
Maintain close contact and cooperation with members of the academic community involved in scientific and technical fellowship programs with prominence in disciplines of interest to NIST.
Serve as a resource in identifying and promoting diversity in the academic community.
Interact with universities of significant minority populations and establish points of contact for resource purposes.

For more information regarding the Office of Academic Affairs, please contact
Dr. Claire M. Saundry.

Return to OIAA Home Page

Questions/Comments?
Updated: January 5, 2005