NIST

An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce

Founded in 1901, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a nonregulatory federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce. With headquarters in Gaithersburg, Maryland, NIST’s mission is 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.

Wed, 10/29/2025 - 12:03
NIST Awards Funding to Five Universities to Advance Standards Education Investing in the next generation of standards leaders
Tue, 10/11/2022 - 12:00
NIST: Gaithersburg, MD) -- The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has made five awards totaling nearly $500,000 to support standards education in undergraduate and graduate curricula. The disciplines…
Researchers Uncover How to 3D-Print One of the Strongest Stainless Steels High-energy X-rays light a path forward
Mon, 10/10/2022 - 12:01
(NIST: Gaithersburg, MD) -- For airliners, cargo ships, nuclear power plants, and other critical technologies, strength and durability are essential. This is why many contain a remarkably strong and corrosion-resistant alloy called 17-4…
Report Outlines Strategic Opportunities for US Semiconductor Manufacturing US Dept. of Commerce issues seven grand challenges
Wed, 09/28/2022 - 11:58
(NIST: Gaithersburg, MD) -- The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released a report outlining seven strategic “grand challenges” in measurement, standardization, and modeling and simulation that…
Baldrige Program Update Requesting quotes for ‘Baldrige Reimagined’
Tue, 09/20/2022 - 12:00
(NIST: Gaithersburg, MD) -- The Baldrige Performance Excellence Program has issued a request for quotes through the GSA Schedule for the “Baldrige Reimagined” external review referenced in its last update. The Baldrige program will award the…
Scientists Identify Potential Bioindicators for Monitoring Plastic Pollution in the North Pacific Ocean Using lab techniques to uncover environmental risks
Tue, 09/06/2022 - 12:00
(NIST: Gaithersburg, Maryland) -- With an estimated 8 million metric tons of plastic waste escaping to our oceans each year, plastic pollution adversely affects the environment, climate, and even our health. Many plastic products break down in the…
U.S. Secretaries of Commerce and Labor Launch Job Quality Toolkit Tactics aim to improve job quality and retain a high-performing workforce
Wed, 08/24/2022 - 12:00
(U.S. Department of Commerce: Washington, D.C.) -- The U.S. Department of Commerce has launched a Job Quality Toolkit, providing strategies and actions to help small-and-medium-sized organizations recruit and retain a high-performing workforce. The…
A Primary Standard for Measuring Vacuum Tracking changes in fluorescence from ultracold atoms is a super-sensitive indicator of pressure
Thu, 08/18/2022 - 12:02
A novel, quantum-based vacuum gauge system invented by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has passed its first test to be a true primary standard—that is, intrinsically accurate without the need for calibration…
NIST Develops Genetic Material for Validating Monkeypox Tests Making the new material freely available to testing laboratories and manufacturers worldwide
Mon, 08/15/2022 - 13:00
(NIST: Boulder, Colorado)--In an effort to help speed the expansion of monkeypox testing in the U.S., the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has produced a material that can help ensure the accuracy of tests for the disease. NIST…
How Do You Ensure That a Tape Measure is Accurate? The short answer
Tue, 08/02/2022 - 12:03
Y
ou need to measure length accurately to do things like make a dress, build a house, survey a plot of land, or determine if the home team made a first down on the football field. These length measurements and many others are often made with…
NIST Updates Cybersecurity Guidance for Supply Chain Risk Management The publication’s revisions form part of NIST’s response to an executive order regarding cybersecurity

Thu, 06/02/2022 - 12:01
A vulnerable spot in global commerce is the supply chain: It enables technology developers and vendors to create and deliver innovative products but can leave businesses, their finished wares, and ultimately their consumers open to cyberattacks. A…