June 14, 2022

NIST’s Efforts to Support America's 

Competitiveness in the Global Economy

Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology 

Dr. Laurie Locascio

Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and 

Technology and NIST Director
Gross Domestic Expenditures on R&D (2000-19)

National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES), The State of U.S. Science and Engineering 2022

PPP = purchasing power parity. Data are for the top 8 R&D-performing countries. Data are not available for all countries for all years.
Priorities

1. Critical & Emerging Technologies Leadership

2. Standards Leadership

3. Manufacturing Leadership

4. Mission Delivery Enhancement

5. NIST Community Building
Critical & Emerging 

Technologies 

Leadership
NIST is essential in the development, 

manufacture, and adoption of technologies 

critical today and those those yet to be 

imagined.

J. Stoughton/NIST
Critical & Emerging Technologies

ADVANCED 

COMMUNICATIONS

(5G and beyond) 

and wireless 

technologies

ARTIFICIAL 

INTELLIGENCE

BIOTECHNOLOGY

CYBERSECURITY 

AND PRIVACY

Transparent, 

trustworthy AI and 

machine learning

To enable the 

development and 

deployment of 

emerging 

technologies

And engineering 

biology to impact 

the health, 

agricultural, and 

industrial sectors

ENERGY 

TECHNOLOGIES

QUANTUM 

INFORMATION 

SCIENCE

Leveraging quantum 

mechanics for the storage, 

transmission, manipulation, 

computing, or 

measurement of 

information

Generation, 

storage, distribution, 

and secure, 

climate-friendly, 

efficient utilization 

of energy
Critical & Emerging Technologies Leadership

Motivations

• The global economic landscape is rapidly 

changing; US is poised to lose its leadership 

position 

Challenges

• The US has an innovation ecosystem that is market 

driven and bottom up. Our biggest competitor 

has an innovation ecosystem that is top down 

and autocratic. Rules are different.

Opportunities

• NIST is a strong collaborator and has the trust of 

industry, academia and government

• NIST works across the continuum from basic to 

applied research to manufacturing to standards

• We have led programs that have driven new 

industries throughout our history including most 

recently in quantum 7 Blakestad/NIST
Standards 

Leadership
NIST leads execution of 

the U.S. Government’s 

National Standards 

Strategy for Critical and 

Emerging Technology 

and the development of 

Federal standards policy 

to ensure continued U.S. 

global economic 

competitiveness and 

technology leadership.

erstock/Anton Balazh
International Standards Leadership

Motivations

• National security priority of the Biden-Harris 

Administration and Congress

• New strategies released by China and the EU

Challenges

• Scoping USG role in our private sector-led system

• Public sector vs. private sector concerns

• Limited NIST resources and other agency 

encroachment

Opportunities

• Proactive allies in new fora (TTC, Quad, IPEF, APEP, 

etc.) aimed at addressing international standards

• Commerce is motivated to act

• NIST has USG convening power

10
Manufacturing 

Leadership
NIST is industry’s 

one stop shop for 

practical tools, 

services, and 

measurement 

expertise to 

accelerate 

competitiveness 

and impact.

© Earl Zubkoff
Position the Department of Commerce to successfully 

execute CHIPS Act Programs if the Bipartisan Innovation 

Act is funded

Intel

CHIPS Act
Manufacturing: CHIPS Act

Motivations • An Administration and Congressional priority to 

solve the semiconductor supply chain issue

• The US produces just a fraction of the 

semiconductor chips that it uses annually and 

has no capacity to manufacture the most 

advanced chips

Challenges • Complex program that will swamp NIST’s budget • High visibility with multiple pieces- incentives and 

research

• Need quick wins

Opportunities • Secretary’s priority and Department is all in • We know industry • We have a reputation of being fair and trusted 14

Erik Secular/NIST
Alignment Across NIST Directorates

Services & Resources

Measurement Services

Communications Technology

Engineering

Information Technology

Material Measurement

NIST Center for Neutron Research

Physical Measurement

Extramural Programs

Manufacturing Extension 

Partnership (MEP)

Manufacturing USA

Laboratories
Manufacturing: Alignment of NIST programs

Motivations

• An Administration and Congressional priority 

to bring manufacturing back home and to 

solve supply chain issues

Challenges

• Intramural programs and extramural programs 

have largely been siloed and not 

coordinated

Opportunities

• NIST has partnered with manufacturers since 

the beginning and has strong intramural and 

extramural programs

• Accelerate the transition from R&D to 

manufacturing 

• Deliver lab outputs to the factory floor

• Make NIST resources as accessible as possible 

to industry NIST
Mission Delivery 

Enhancement
NIST engages with Congress, key policy makers, and the 

general public to ensure support and adequate funding for 

NIST's impactful mission in economic competitiveness.

J. Stoughton/NIST
Mission Delivery Enhancement

Motivations

• We want to be fully resourced for the big 

mission that we have at at time when global 

competitiveness is a priority for everyone

Challenges

• Flat funding

• Decaying buildings

Opportunities

• Opportunities to advance our agenda and 

work at the highest levels of government

• We are in every state with our internal and 

external programs 19

2 Campuses

8 Joint Research Institutes

3 Centers of Excellence

2 Atomic Clock Signal Stations

51 Manufacturing Extension Partnership

16 Manufacturing USA Institutes
NIST Community 

Building
NIST

NIST provides a 

community 

open to 

change, 

where 

everyone is 

valued, 

supported, 

engaged, and 

empowered.
NIST Community Building

Motivations

• To be the best place to work 

Challenges

• Issues in diversity, equity, inclusion and 

accessibility 

• NCNR and strengthening the cross-NIST 

program

• Bringing people back to campus post-COVID

Opportunities

• We have a chance to restart 

• To become the exemplar of a safe, healthy 

and respectful work environment 22

Diversity, Equity, 

Inclusion, & 

Accessibility

Safety

Return to Campus
DISCUSSION