AN ASSESSMENT OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY PHYSICS LABORATORY

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY PHYSICS LABORATORY

The overall mission of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve the quality of life. The institutional vision is to be the world’s leader in creating critical measurement solutions and promoting equitable standards with core competencies in the areas of measurement sciences, rigorous traceability, and standards. The mission of the NIST Physics Laboratory is to support U.S. industry, government, and the scientific community by providing measurement services and research for electronic, optical, and radiation technology. In this respect, the laboratory provides the foundation for the metrology of optical and ionizing radiations, time and frequency, and fundamental quantum processes, historically major areas of standards and technology.
The organizational structure of the Physics Laboratory for accomplishing its mission and goals includes six vertically integrated divisions:
• Atomic Physics Division
• Electron and Optical Physics Division
• Ionizing Radiation Division
• Optical Technology Division
• Quantum Physics Division
• Time and Frequency Division
The laboratory also includes an Office of Electronic Commerce in Scientific and Engineering Data to facilitate the electronic dissemination of technical information through the Internet. In line with the vertical integration of the laboratory, each division is further divided into groups and projects.
The Panel on Physics visited the six divisions of the laboratory and reviewed a selected sample of their programs and projects. As described in the next chapter, “The Charge to the Panel and the Assessment Process,” the panel’s assessment included the following four criteria: (1) the technical merit of the current laboratory programs relative to the current state of the art worldwide; (2) the adequacy of the laboratory facilities, equipment, and human resources, as they affect the quality of the laboratory technical programs; (3) the degree to which the laboratory programs in measurement science and standards achieve stated objectives and desired impact; and (4) the extent of the progress of all of the fiscal year (FY) 2007 programs funded under the America COMPETES Act of 2007 (which supports the President’s American Competitiveness Initiative [ACI])1 relevant to the laboratory.

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