NIST Gaithersburg

June 4, 2019

NIST Update

Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology 

Walter G. Copan

Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology

and NIST Director 
NIST Update

• Agenda Review

• New VCAT Members

• Budget Update

• Recent NIST Highlights

• Security Update

• Equity in Career Advancement Update

• International Engagements

• Recent Awards

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Meeting Agenda

June 4, 2019

Session I: NIST Update

Session II: Administration’s Priorities for Science and Technology

Session III: NIST Strategic Plan – Positioning NIST for a Changing S&T 

Environment

Session IV: Update on NIST Activities in Emerging Technologies

Session V: Update on NIST Lab-to-Market Activities

June 5, 2019

Session VI: Neutron Science - APS Perspectives & NCNR Overview

3
Welcome New Members

Dr. Eric Kaler

President, 

University of Minnesota

Dr. Vinton G. Cerf

Vice President and Chief 

Internet Evangelist, Google

VCAT member (2007-2013)

Dr. Mehmood 

Khan

Chief Executive Officer, 

Life Biosciences

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Programmatic Priorities

Advanced 

Manufacturing

Cybersecurity & 

Privacy

Disaster 

Resilience

Documentary 

Standards

Technology 

Transfer

Engineering 

Biology

Internet of 

Things

Quantum 

Science

Artificial 

Intelligence

© Matt DeLorme

Measurement 

Dissemination

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FY 2020 President’s Budget Request Summary

The President’s FY 2020 Budget:

• Prioritizes NIST’s core measurement 

science mission

• Prioritizes support for NIST’s role in 

quantum science, artificial 

intelligence, and microelectronicsrelated R&D

• Eliminates funding for MEP

• Supports NIST’s Boulder Building 1 

project (through the GSA Federal 

Capital Revolving Fund)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

FY 2018 Enacted FY 2019 Enacted FY 2020 President's

Request

Dollars (millions)

NIST Budget Summary

STRS ITS CRF

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NIST BUDGET

FY 2017 

Enacted

FY 2018 

Enacted

FY 2019 

Enacted

FY 2020 

Pres. 

Request

FY 2020 

House 

Mark

FY 2020 

Senate 

Mark

Laboratory 

Programs 

(STRS) 

$690.0 $724.5 $724.5 $611.7 $751.0 NA

Hollings Mfg

Ext Partnership 

(MEP) 

$128.0 $140.0 $140.0 $0.0 $154.0 NA

Manufacturing 

USA $25.0 $15.0 $15.0 $15.2 $15.2 NA

Construction 

& Renovation $109.0 $319.0 $106.0 $59.9 $120.0 NA

Total $952.0 $1,198.5 $985.5 $686.8 $1,040.2 NA 7
Measurement Dissemination: Redefinition of the SI

• Two weeks ago (5/20/19) all SI units became 

based on fundamental standards

• Four of the seven base units changed due to 

replacement of the artifactual kg

KKcccc = 683 lm W−1

NIST colloquium May 17, 2019 featuring NIST’s Jon Pratt 

(photo credit J. Stoughton for NIST) 
ROI Final Green Paper

• Green Paper published April 24, 2019 as NIST Special 

Publication 1234

• 15 key findings to inform actions to modernize U.S. 

technology transfer legislation, policy and practice 

• Thanks to VCAT Subcommittee on Technology Transfer

• Detailed discussion session later today - June 4, 2019

• Charter for VCAT Subcommittee: Next Steps 

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1.

2.

3.

4.

Tech Transfer: NIST on a Chip

• Uses optical properties of 

materials to measure changes 

in temperature

• In joint development with an 

industry partner

• Smaller than a coffee bean 

• Vapor cell on a chip contains 

rubidium atoms

• Patent submitted

• Designed for manufacturability

CRADAs and partnerships -

begun execution

New CRADAs and partnerships -

in discussions with companies

Partnerships in discussion with 

other agencies

Working prototypes 

demonstrated

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4

4

2

Next-Generation Atomic Clock

Chip-Scale Photonic Thermometer

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Advanced Manufacturing: Standards for Wearable 

Robotics

NIST leads an ASTM F48 standards 

committee on exoskeleton task 

performance

NIST is developing tests to determine 

how well the exoskeleton conforms 

to humans

Replication of NIST’s test methods is

underway by at least 9 organizations

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Advanced Manufacturing: Using AI to Solve Industry’s 

Robot Challenges

New IEEE Standards Study Group formed 

to develop robot agility test methods and 

standards, includes ARIAC participants 

Agile Robotics for Industrial 

Automation Competition (ARIAC) 

Calls on the community to solve real robot 

challenges faced by industry, with the goal of 

enabling industrial robots on the shop floors to be 

more productive, more autonomous, and to require 

less time from shop floor workers

• ARIAC 2019 offers $17,500 in prizes to teams from 

academia and industry 

• Participants develop a robot control system (software) 

to control a robot in a simulated environment

• Co-sponsors have included ABB Robotics, Dassault 

Systemes, IEEE, and Siemens

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Advanced Manufacturing: Manufacturing USA

15th Manufacturing USA 

Competition Active –

DOE Cybersecurity 

Institute for Energy 

Efficient Manufacturing 

Mike Molnar testified in 

House Science Hearing 

“Revitalizing American 

Leadership in Advanced 

Manufacturing” 

(March 26, 2019) 

Advanced 

Manufacturing identified 

by the White House as 

one of four Industries of 

the Future to fuel 

prosperity

March 6th visit of NIH Director Francis Collins and U.S. Senator Chris Coons 

to University of Delaware included NIIMBL Center Director Kelvin Lee (left) 

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Advanced Manufacturing: MEP

GDP Output Personal 

$

Income Jobs

Returns to 

Treasury

ROI

Return on 

Investment

Forecast

Constrained Model 

Using Firm Variables 236,802 $24.9* $46.6* $15.0* $2.02* 14.4:1

New report: 

The National-Level Economic Impact of the Manufacturing Extension 

Partnership (MEP): Estimates for Fiscal Year 2018

Prepared by W. E. Upjohn Institute (issued May 10, 2019)

* Dollars in billions

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1.

2.

3.

4.

Engineering Biology: NIST Genome Editing 

Workshop May 3, 2019

Coordinated recent federal 

investments and efforts (NIST, 

NIH, DARPA, FDA)

Shared recent measurement and 

technology innovations as well as 

challenges

Refined work plans to develop 

precompetitive measurement 

solutions (31+ consortium members)

Agreed to leverage NIST Genome 

in a Bottle standards and data 

Federal Gov.

26%

Industry

62%

Academia

8%

Other

4%

110 ATTENDEES

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Advanced Communications: 5G Efforts

NIST’s 5G and Beyond program is 

providing industry with robust 

metrology tools and data

175+ participants in NIST 5G mmWave 

Channel Model Alliance (Intel, Nokia, 

Qualcomm, Facebook, etc.) 

Active engagement with other 

agencies and the private sector on 

5G standards

NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator 

Program awardee: Spectronn

• Spectronn developed a “mobile edgecomputing-in-a-box” system

• Multi-networking technology funded by NIST 

allows public safety to have reliable data 

streams

• Technology implemented for the Brookline, 

MA police department during the 2019 

Boston Marathon (April 15) 16
Resilience: Tornado Hazard Maps

Maps will enable development of 

national standards and codes for 

tornado resistant buildings 

NIST developed first-of-a-kind 

probabalistic tornado maps for 

the contiguous United States

Proposed for incorporation into

next edition of American Society of 

Civil Engineers standards (ASCE 7)

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Resilience: Response to Hurricane Maria

• Model shows peak wind gusts 

over 200 mph in some regions

• Model’s hazard characterization 

used by six other technical 

projects in the NIST Hurricane 

Maria Program

NIST developed a hurricane 

vortex model to fit Maria’s 

track

Also: NIST MEP - Funding 

and support for Puerto Rico 

business recovery 18
Cybersecurity and Privacy: Post Quantum 

Cryptographic Standards 

Algorithms Advancing to the PostQuantum Crypto ‘Semifinals’

Phase of evaluation and review now 

in progress, will last 12-18 months

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2nd

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Cybersecurity and Privacy: Publications

Privacy Framework

• RFI Summary Analysis & Privacy Framework 

Outline (2.27.2019)

• Privacy Framework Discussion Draft 

(4.30.2019)

Cybersecurity Framework

• Roadmap for Cybersecurity Framework 

Version 1.1 (4.25.2019)

Cybersecurity for IoT

• Released Considerations for a Core IoT 

Cybersecurity Capabilities Baseline discussion 

draft for public comment (2.4.2019)

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Artificial Intelligence Standards 

February 11, 2019 Executive Order: 

Maintaining American Leadership in 

Artificial Intelligence 

• NIST developing a Plan for Federal 

Engagement in AI Standards, pursuant 

to Executive Order 

• Request for Information and Public 

Workshop to solicit input for plan 

• NIST AI standards event May 30, 2019

• Session on AI later today 

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Science and Security: Context

• NIST engages in a wide variety of ways with domestic 

and international partners

– International engagement is a core function of NIST, as 

described in the NIST Organic Act (15 USC 272) 

– To stay at the forefront in S&T, this engagement is crucial

• In order to do this safely, we must

– Take the threat of academic espionage seriously

– Have policies and procedures in place to vet foreign 

nationals and follow relevant DOC/State Department policies

• For each visiting researcher, senior leadership 

balances engagement benefit against risk

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Science and Security: NIST Actions

• Begin installation of cyberlocks restricting 

access to labs and offices this fiscal year

• Foreign National Request Form to be made 

compliant with DOC policy

• PIV cards to be scanned electronically at all 

entrance gates (Gaithersburg)

• Consistent policies for escorts for contractors 

(at sites of new/refurbished buildings) 

• Policy for Denial of Access to be instituted

• Security Assessments of both Boulder and 

Gaithersburg to be done

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Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at NIST 

Diversity, Inclusivity and Equity 

Conversations

• From top leadership to all parts of NIST, 

inclusivity is part of our conversations

External Assessment

• Analysis of Equity Disparity in NIST STEM 

Career Advancement – Procurement 

underway

Graduate Student Measurement Science and 

Engineering (GMSE) Fellowship Program 

• Administered through a grant with 

National Physical Science Consortium 

Invited Speaker Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski, III (President, UMBC) 

at the first NIST Inclusivity Summit, held April 30th 

for all managers and supervisors

Some of the Efforts Underway: 

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NIST International Engagements

Jim Olthoff elected as Vice 

President of CIPM (International 

Committee of Weights and 

Measures)

• Influencing worldwide uniformity 

in measurements

Claire Saundry elected as 

President of SIM (Regional 

Metrology Group for the 

Americas)

• Steering Inter-American 

measurement infrastructure

• Standards, ICT and cybersecurity expertise 

supporting US trade discussions (EC, UK)

• Shaping outcomes of the G20 digital 

economy and G7 ICT workstreams:

 Cybersecurity

 AI

 Standards

Leadership roles: Engagement opportunities: 

 Innovation

 Data flows and privacy

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Standards and Related Developments 

2019 NIST - ANSI Memorandum of Understanding

• First signed in 1995

• Affirms NIST and ANSI’s respective roles 

• Private-public partnership nature of US standards 

system

Raising awareness of strategic importance of 

standards for the nation 

• Emerging tech (e.g. 5G, AI, etc.)

o Policymaker engagement with the White 

House and on Capitol Hill

• Innovation and competitiveness

o Standards Essential Patents(SEP) policies -

balancing rights of licensors and licensees

ANSI CEO Joe Bhatia and NIST Director Copan 

signing the ANSI-NIST MOU. April 29, 2019 

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Quantum Information Science

• NIST represented at the White House 

Academic Roundtable on Innovation 

in Quantum Information Science -

May 31, 2019 

• Participants included NIST Joint 

Institute academic partners in QIS 

• JILA: University of Colorado –

Boulder

• JQI / QuICS: University of 

Maryland 

• NIST / SRI Quantum Economic 

Development Consortium – 60+ 

corporate members With former NIST Director Willie May, Morgan State University 

Preparing the future quantum workforce 27
NIST Realignment – Background 

• Competitive global economy of 21st century: New challenges for U.S.A. and NIST

• Economic competitiveness National security

• NIST must visibly fulfill the Agency’s national responsibilities 

• U.S. leadership for Metrology, Standards & Technology

• Advanced Manufacturing 

• Technology transfer policy development and implementation government-wide

• ADLP as Principal Deputy to the NIST Director will elevate standards policy, NIST 

international leadership role, facilitate cross-cutting interdisciplinary research & 

development, with enduring focus on innovation.

• Foster development of human capital, cultivate our talent pipeline for diversity and a 

culture of inclusivity, integrate our strategic planning NIST-wide, and maximize synergies 

for organizational effectiveness

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NIST Realignment – 2019

New: 

• Director Technology Transfer: NIST internal and national technology transfer programs

• Chief Human Capital Officer: Integrated support for NIST Federal employees & Associates

• Director Strategy and Policy: Incorporating Program Coordination Office 

Realigned:

• International and Academic Affairs – ADLP

• Human Subjects Protection Office – ADLP

• Onboarding Office – Human Capital

• Associates Support - Integrated NIST-wide with Human Capital

• Technology Discovery Office - Technology Transfer

• Public Affairs – Unifying NIST branding 

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NIST Organization 2020

NIST Director / Under Secretary of Commerce for 

Standards and Technology

Associate Director for 

Laboratory Programs (ADLP)

Associate Director of Innovation 

and Industry Services (ADIIS)

Associate Director of 

Management Resources (ADMR) Chief of Staff

Office of Chief Counsel

Office of Policy & Strategic 

Planning

National Technical 

Information Service (NTIS)

Laboratory Programs

Communications Technology Laboratory

Engineering Laboratory

Information Technology Laboratory

Material Measurement Laboratory

NIST Center for Neutron Research

Physical Measurement Laboratory

Center for Nanoscale Science and 

Technology

Human Subjects Protection

Standards Coordination

International and Academic Affairs

Special Programs Office

Innovation and Industry Services 

Baldrige Performance Excellence Program 

Hollings Manufacturing Extension 

Partnership 

Office of Advanced Manufacturing

Technology Transfer

Technology Discovery Office 

Management Resources

Human Capital

Onboarding

Acquisition and Agreements Management

Safety, Health and Environment

Financial Resource Management

Information Systems Management

Facilities and Property Management

Civil Rights and Diversity

Information Services

Emergency Services

Fabrication Technology

Executive Officer for 

Administration

Management and Organization 

Office

Public Affairs

Congressional and Legislative 

Affairs

*Main changes shown in colored font 

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Recent Awards

Impressive 

accomplishments 

across NIST

Too many to fit here 

Congratulations all! 

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Meeting Agenda

June 4, 2019

Session I: NIST Update

Session II: Administration’s Priorities for Science and Technology

Session III: NIST Strategic Plan – Positioning for a Changing S&T 

Environment

Session IV: Update on NIST Activities in Emerging Technologies

Session V: Update on NIST Lab to Market Activities

June 5, 2019

Session VI: APS Perspectives & NCNR Overview

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DISCUSSION

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