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Washington,
DC– An agreement signed today between the U.S.
Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards
and Technology (NIST) and Utah State University (USU) will
create a partnership for collaboration in the development
and calibration of optical sensors for defense, homeland security,
weather prediction, and climate research.
The signing
ceremony was hosted by Utah Senator Bob Bennett with Under
Secretary of Commerce for Technology Phillip Bond, NIST Acting
Director Hratch Semerjian, USU President Stan Albrecht, Utah
Senator Orrin Hatch, staff from Utah Rep. Rob Bishop’s
offices, and other NIST and USU representatives in attendance.
“NIST is
signing this memorandum of understanding today because we
believe that, by working together, exchanging people, and
sharing resources, our institutions can spur greater progress
in innovation, research, and education,” said Bond.
NIST and Utah State have an extensive history of collaboration
in measurements and standards for optical instruments, with
an emphasis on space-based applications. The Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) will enhance that partnership. The two
organizations will address areas of critical technical importance
for improving national security and calibrating instruments
used in assessing the extent and consequences of climate change,
a necessary prerequisite for developing effective environmental
policies. Other potential areas of collaboration include biotechnology,
nanotechnology, and computational chemistry.
“This partnership
will allow USU and NIST to perform state-of-the-art research
in calibration measurements that could ultimately benefit
the world,” said Albrecht. “What an amazing opportunity
for our students, faculty and staff.”
Examples of possible
collaboration stemming from the MOU include postdoctoral programs,
joint seminars, shared facilities, and sabbatical, faculty
and joint appointments. Programs such as these will enable
NIST’s staff and resources to contribute to USU’s
undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral education and research
programs, and in return, USU’s resources will contribute
to NIST’s measurement and standards research programs.
“I am delighted
the cooperation between Utah State University and the National
Institute of Standards and Technology is being expanded and
formalized today,” said Bennett. “USU’s
expertise in calibration is particularly important for defense
and homeland security applications, and this agreement will
help further its efforts in these areas.”
Bennett first became
acquainted with USU’s space science and engineering
capabilities when he hosted a series of Space Talk forums
during his first term. Since that time, he has repeatedly
visited USU’s Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) and watched
it grow into a premier research laboratory, developing advanced
remote sensor systems for both civilian and department of
defense programs. As a member of the Senate Appropriations
Committee and Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs
Committee, he works to promote issues important to the lab
and the industry.
Both institutions
possess unique expertise that is particularly well suited
to the development and dissemination of advanced sensor technology.
NIST provides the critical measurement and standards infrastructure
to ensure that sensor readings are accurate and traceable
to national and international standards. In the area of space-based
sensors, NIST provides standards to validate the accuracy
of climate-change measurements and establish their comparability
independent of locale or time.
USU, through its
Space Dynamics Laboratory, is a national leader in the development
and application of sensor technology for civilian and military
space-based measurements. SDL will play a major role in the
agreement. The Lab is nationally and international renowned
in its expertise in optical calibration. Its facilities include
a 43,000 square foot Calibration and Optical Research Laboratory
capable of classified work. Providing NIST programs access
to SDL’s specialized facilities for classified research
and development is an important part of the collaboration.
As a non-regulatory
agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Technology
Administration, NIST develops and promotes measurement, standards
and technology to enhance productivity, facilitate trade and
improve the quality of life.
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