Working
with the National Institute of Standards and Technology
Research
collaborations, funding, and facilities use
|
The
Nanofabrication Facility of NIST’s Advanced Measurement
Laboratory, the most advanced research facility of
its kind in the world.
© Robert Rathe |
About
NIST
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is an unusual federal agency. Its mission is broad—to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life.
An essential part of NIST’s work is to anticipate the future. Fast-moving sectors like nanotechnology, quantum information science, homeland security, information technology, and advanced manufacturing need sophisticated technical support systems to flourish and grow. NIST provides that support by continually improving the U.S. measurement system, developing new technologies, fostering standards, and providing both the business and technical evaluation tools needed to produce quality products and organizations.
For example, recent NIST projects have included efforts to:
improve the quality and comparability of DNA microarrays—postage-stamp-sized devices that measure the activity of specific genes;
measure the efficiency and operation of non-polluting fuel cells for automobiles and optimize their performance; and
develop new atom-based reference materials to allow reliable fabrication of integrated circuits with features as small as 40 nanometers.
Partnering
with NIST
To help
accomplish its mission, NIST seeks out high-quality partnerships,
collaborations, and other interactions with U.S. companies,
universities, and agencies at the federal, state, and local
levels.
Each year:
Projects
involving some 2,000 researchers from around the world
depend on the world-class NIST Center for Neutron Research,
one of several designated user facilities available for
proprietary and non-proprietary research.
© Robert
Rathe
|
About 1,700 associates work with about 2,900 NIST staff members at two main campuses in Gaithersburg, Md., and Boulder, Colo.
Projects involving more than 2,000 researchers from around the world depend on NIST’s Center for Neutron Research and the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, two of several world-class user facilities available for proprietary and non-proprietary research.
The Technology Innovation Program will provide cost-shared awards to industry, universities, and consortia for research on potentially revolutionary technologies that address critical national and societal needs. Between 1990 and 2007, NIST also managed the Advanced Technology Program.
NIST, through the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, partners with 1,600 manufacturing specialists and staff at about 400 MEP service locations around the country.
NIST hosts about 100 conferences, workshops, symposia, and other meetings annually attended by thousands of participants. Most are co-sponsored with other federal agencies, academic institutions, professional societies, or industry groups.
Hundreds of individuals from companies and other organizations participate in selecting award recipients for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awards, which are managed by NIST.
In addition, NIST jointly operates research organizations in four locations explicitly established to promote the kind of cross-disciplinary collaborations that accelerate research results:
JILA, Boulder, Colo., a world-class physics research institute jointly operated by NIST and the University of Colorado at Boulder;
Center for Advanced Research in Biotechnology, Rockville, Md., an interdisciplinary partnership in cutting-edge biotechnology between NIST and the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute;
Joint Quantum Institute, College Park, Md., a new institute for advancing quantum physics research that is jointly operated with the University of Maryland; and
Hollings Marine Laboratory, Charleston, S.C., a national center for coastal ocean science, in which NIST is one of five federal, state, and university partners.
Collaboration
Methods
NIST collaborates with partners in a variety of ways designed to meet a broad spectrum of needs. A key principle of the process is that both NIST and its partner benefit from the relationship. NIST provides fair and equitable access to both its technical expertise and its designated user facilities.
Informal collaborations. NIST researchers frequently collaborate informally with researchers at other organizations. These collaborations often result in joint peer-reviewed papers, short-term visits or tours of NIST laboratories, and sharing of research methods.
Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs). A CRADA is a formal partnering agreement that allows federal laboratories to work with U.S. companies, academia, and other organizations on joint research and development projects. The CRADA provides flexibility in structuring project contributions and intellectual property rights, and in protecting research results developed during the collaboration. NIST regularly organizes research consortia on topics of interest to multiple organizations or industry sectors.
Guest Researcher Arrangements. The NIST Guest Researcher Program provides opportunities for technically qualified individuals to work at NIST with Institute staff on projects of mutual interest for periods ranging from a few months to several years. In many cases, a key benefit is access to NIST facilities and research tools. Research results produced by guest researchers—from universities, companies, or other organizations—while working at NIST are shared with the public. Guest researchers (or their home institutions) retain rights to inventions conceived while at NIST.
Use of Designated Facilities. NIST has several unique and valuable laboratory facilities available for use by U.S. organizations for both proprietary and non-proprietary research. Access to these designated facilities is generally provided on a first-come, first-served cost-reimbursable basis. Examples include facilities for gamma-ray sources, small-angle X-ray scattering, nanotechnology, nitrogen flow measurements, heat release calorimetry, and neutron radiography.
Access to the NIST Center for Neutron Research for non-proprietary research is provided at no cost through a peer review process.
For additional information on collaboration methods, see www.nist.gov/partnerships.
Accessing
NIST Research Results
NIST researchers collaborated with a food manufacturer, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Harvard University to model the detailed chemistry of “shake gels,” unusual new materials that thicken dramatically when shaken.
© Robert
Rathe
|
NIST works to disseminate its research results as broadly as possible through peer reviewed research literature, technical reports, conference presentations, measurement standards, publicly accessible databases, public domain software, patent disclosures, and other methods. The following Web sites provide a wealth of NIST resources:
Publications: www.nist.gov/pubs
Patents
database: www.nist.gov/patents
Technology
available for licensing: www.nist.gov/licensing
Software: www.nist.gov/software
Scientific
and technical databases: www.nist.gov/srd
Standard
Reference Materials: www.nist.gov/srm
Accessing NIST Research Results
A number of post-doctoral opportunities are available at NIST, including:
The NIST-National Research Council (NRC) Postdoctoral Research Associateships Program. Identifies and recruits world-class postdoctoral scientists and engineers to work at NIST on research in fields including chemistry, physics, materials science, mathematics, computer science, and engineering. A limited number of two-year term appointments are available. Applicants must be U.S. citizens.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)/ National Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)/NIST NRC Joint Postdoctoral Research Associateships Program. Provides five, two-year awards for postdoctoral researchers emphasizing research at the interface of the biological and physical sciences. Work is done both at NIST and at NIH. Non-U.S. citizens are eligible.
Postdoctoral Program with the Intelligence Community. A limited number of postdoctoral opportunities for U.S. citizens to conduct research in leading-edge technologies serving broad intelligence community science and technology needs. Academic advisors submit proposals on research topics identified by the Intelligence Community, and nominate postdoctoral fellows. The selected IC postdocs have two-year excepted service appointments to NIST.
For more information on these three programs, contact oiaa@nist.gov.
Professional Research Experience Program (PREP) (Boulder). Provides laboratory experience and financial assistance to qualified undergraduates, graduates, and postgraduates. Postdocs from any university are welcome to apply and are brought into the program through the University of Colorado. For more information, contact rosemary.oconnor@nist.gov or (303) 497-5238.
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program—A NIST/National Science Foundation partnership that teams outstanding undergraduate students with NIST mentors on cutting-edge research
projects. Visit www.surf.nist.gov/surf2.htm for more information.
NIST
Funding Opportunities
NIST
scientists are fabricating magnetic traps to improve
manipulation and analysis of single strands of DNA or
RNA. A patent application for the technique has been
filed.
© Geoffrey
Wheeler
|
NIST also provides extramural research funding through competitive grants. Some examples:
Measurement, Science, and Engineering Research Grants Programs—Supports NIST laboratories with research in fields such as polymers, ceramics, metallurgy, fire research, neutron scattering and spectroscopy.
Precision Measurement Grants Program—Supports research on fundamental measurement or fundamental constants.
Nanoelectronics—Supports research and innovation in nanoelectronics through a partnership between NIST and the Semiconductor Research Corp.
Small Business Innovation Research Contracts—Solicits research and development proposals from small businesses that respond to specific NIST technical needs that are described in the annual solicitation.
Technology Innovation Program—Will provide cost-shared awards to industry, universities and consortia for research on potentially revolutionary technologies that address critical national and societal needs. (Note: This is a newly created program established by the America COMPETES Act.)
For additional information on these and future grant opportunities, visit www.nist.gov/public_affairs/grants.htm or www.grants.gov.
Frequently
Requested NIST Contacts
To
receive a paper copy of this brochure, please contact inquiries@nist.gov |