An Assessment of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Material Measurement Laboratory Fiscal Year 2014 (2015) / Chapter Skim
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5 Chemical Sciences Division
5 Chemical Sciences Division
Pages 35-44
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From page 35... ...
The CSD integrates mainstream chemical sciences expertise into one organization in order to provide strong fundamental research and measurement services across several key technical programs. The CSD defined its mission as follows: The Chemical Sciences Division provides the measurement science, standards, instrumentation, technology, data, and chemical informatics required to support the nation's needs in the determining chemical composition, quantitation, and chemical structure and in the measuring of a wide variety of chemical properties and processes, such as chemical reactivity and mechanisms as well as thermochemical properties.
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From page 36... ...
Another key area of expertise is in gas sensing metrology. This group has provided critical certified reference materials for many of the major greenhouse gases, as well as other important areas of gas metrology such as those related to energy, air quality, and emissions; the group has been serving as one of the central calibration laboratories for the Global Atmosphere Watch Program of the World Meteorological Organization.
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From page 37... ...
It provides critical support in the biomedical and health area by creating, supporting, and advancing the measurement infrastructure through new reference methods, materials, and data for clinically relevant chemical species in biologically relevant fluids. The group working in this area develops and maintains more than 50 reference materials for clinical diagnostic markers for routine assays in clinical and pathology laboratories.
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From page 38... ...
It has also developed a timeresolved surface-sensitive spectroscopic technique that allows careful study of surface reactions and precursor delivery during an ALD procedure on industrially relevant time scales. Opportunities and Challenges The combination of the strong spectroscopy expertise in the Measurement Science Group with the expertise of the Gas Metrology Group in the program has set the CSD as a leader in the field of 38
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From page 39... ...
The division has addressed this through new staff hires and postdoctoral researchers in a few areas, such as pH measurement, electrochemistry, and gas metrology. The CSD has also put highly capable people in new areas to expand their ability to address key challenges, such as in aerosol research for climate science.
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From page 40... ...
As a motivator for staff, particularly early-career scientists, CSD management needs to work with MML management to continue to explore ways to provide recognition for science leaders in the division. In summary, the CSD has very broad scientific expertise across multiple areas, including worldrecognized expertise in gas metrology, spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, neutron activation analysis, and inorganic measurement science, and other areas, and the division is utilizing this expertise to solve major problems facing the nation.
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From page 41... ...
A matter of concern noted by the staff is that the overall procurement and contract process by which the division operates is impeding the implementation of technical programs and overall productivity by imposing excessive delays ranging from small consumable items to large capital purchases. Acknowledging that the CSD needs to operate under government procurement rules, its management needs to work with MML management and NIST administrative offices to provide greater connectivity, a common vision, and best practices for efficiency in this area.
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From page 42... ...
As a whole, the CSD is widely disseminating its work products through publication, reports, and guidelines for standardization; and by coauthoring climate reports; providing data on chemical species that are critically needed by industry, academic institutions, and other government agencies; taking part in standards development organizations; and selling a large number of SRMs. This wide variety of work is utilized by many organizations to improve scientific measurements and help to shape national policies pertaining to climate, environment, health, energy, and nutrition, using the most accurate data obtainable.
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From page 43... ...
The reorganization of the division has yielded some of the desired synergies, such as the strong spectroscopy and spectrometry expertise, enabling key measurements with greater accuracy to support the development of standards for climate science, and enabling integration of reference materials and reference data expertise to generate a series of reference products across several important areas. The division has put in place a strategy for motivating, supporting, and evaluating staff publication in highimpact and other peer-reviewed journals.
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From page 44... ...
Recommendation: The Chemical Sciences Division should work with Material Measurement Laboratory management and NIST administrative offices to provide greater connectivity, a common vision, and guidance on best practices to make procurement more efficient. Provision of several standard reference data sets is dependent on having reliable NIST information technology services.
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