NIST Technicalendar May 14 to May 18, 2007 The NIST Technicalendar is issued each Friday. All items MUST be submitted electronically from this web page by 12:00 NOON each Wednesday unless otherwise stated in the NIST Technicalendar. The address for online weekly editions of the NIST Technicalendar and NIST Administrative Calendar is: http://www.nist.gov/tcal/.
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In this Issue: Meetings at NIST Meetings Elsewhere Announcements Talks by NIST Personnel NIST Web Site Announcements NIST Administrative Calendar (current)   NIST Vacancy Announcements (current)

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10:45 AM - Order-alpha radiative correction calculations for neutron and nuclear beta decays

10:30 AM - Hartree-Fock and Correlation Calculations for Atoms and Molecules
10:30 AM - From NIST to Marketplace
2:00 PM - Design of Large-Range High-Bandwidth Flexure-Based Nanopositioning Systems

10:00 AM - Perfect and Nearly Perfect Silsesquioxanes for Polyfunctional Nanoparticles and Nanocomposites
10:00 AM - Chemical Solution Deposition of Oxide Buffer and Superconducting Layers for YBa2Cu3O7 Coated Conductors

10:30 AM - Two-Level Systems in Superconducting Circuit Resonators
10:45 AM - Hydrogen Storage in Microporous Coordination Solids with Exposed Metal Sites
10:45 AM - Construction Material Particles: Characterization and Modeling

10:00 AM - Electro Micro Metrology: Are We Heading Towards Performance-Based MEMS Standards?
10:30 AM - The Fragile Edge: The Fate of the Ocean
11:30 AM - Projected improvements in high temperature metrology

5/14 -- MONDAY

10:45 AM - IONIZING RADIATION DIVISION SEMINAR: Order-alpha radiative correction calculations for neutron and nuclear beta decays
F Gluck , University of Karlsruhe.
235 Bldg, Rm. E100. (NIST Contact: Jeff Nico, 301-975-4663, jnico@nist.gov)


5/15 -- TUESDAY

10:30 AM - ATOMIC PHYSICS DIVISION SEMINAR: Hartree-Fock and Correlation Calculations for Atoms and Molecules
John Morrison , Professor/University of Louisville, Louisville, KY.
221 Bldg, Rm. B145. (NIST Contact: Charlotte Fischer, 301-975-2099, charlotte.fischer@nist.gov)

10:30 AM - MAY ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH EVENT: From NIST to Marketplace
Dr. Kam Lau is a Chinese-American who came from Hong Kong about thirty years ago at the age of 19 to attend college in USA. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and joined NBS (now NIST) in January 1982. Two months later, he conceived the idea of a 5-D laser tracker for machine and robot calibration. In that summer, Dr. Lau successfully built a 2-D prototype demonstrating the concept of laser tracking, based on which he and his colleague were awarded a patent. While working on an advanced version of a 5-D prototype, Dr. Lau also successfully developed a number of precision measuring instruments. In 1987, Dr. Lau left NIST and founded Automated Precision, Inc. (API). Automated Precision, based in Rockville, is currently a $25+ million multi-national company providing advanced metrology products and solutions to the auto, aircraft, ship-building, energy, machine tool and robotic industries worldwide. In the past 5 years, through Dr. Lau’s leadership, API has experienced a tremendous growth and has developed a global business network to support the increasingly global clientele. In the presentation, Dr. Lau is going to talk about his experience as an Asian American living in the USA, building a family and eventually a hi-tech business. He will share with the audience the experience, hurdles, challenges and opportunities which he encountered, plus the motivation behind his leaving NIST to enter the business world.
Dr. Kam Lau , President and CEO, Automated Precision Inc, Rockville, MD.
Administration Bldg, Red Auditorium. (NIST Contact: Howard Yoon, 301-975-2482, hyoon@nist.gov)

2:00 PM - INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS DIVISION SEMINAR: Design of Large-Range High-Bandwidth Flexure-Based Nanopositioning Systems
Shorya Awtar , Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan.
220 / Metrology Bldg, Rm. B125. (NIST Contact: Jason Gorman, 301-975-3446, gorman@nist.gov)


5/16 -- WEDNESDAY

10:00 AM - POLYMERS DIVISION SEMINAR: Perfect and Nearly Perfect Silsesquioxanes for Polyfunctional Nanoparticles and Nanocomposites
Richard Laine , Professor, University of Michigan, Dept of Materials Science & Engineering, Ann Arbor, MI, talsdad@umich.edu.
224 Bldg, Rm. A312. (NIST Contact: Christopher Soles, 301-975-8087, csoles@nist.gov)

10:00 AM - SEMICONDUCTOR ELECTRONICS DIVISION SEMINAR: Chemical Solution Deposition of Oxide Buffer and Superconducting Layers for YBa2Cu3O7 Coated Conductors
Chemical solution deposition (CSD) has recently emerged as a very competitive technique for obtaining highly epitaxial films with controlled nanostructure. In particular, the all-CSD approach is considered to be one of the most promising methodologies for cost-effective production of YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) superconducting multilayers on metallic substrates (coated conductors) with high critical current density. It requires a tight control of the interface quality in the multilayered architecture, i.e. between a substrate, one or several buffer layers and the superconducting layer itself. Although the film and the substrate have similar structure, the film can undergo a temperature-induced morphological instability due to the interfacial strain associated with the lattice parameter misfit. We analyze under which conditions the heteroepitaxial films deposited by CSD are stable. The architectures of these materials are biased by the need to simultaneously satisfy an effective oxidation protection for the metallic substrate, a good chemical barrier to cation diffusion, and lattice matching between substrate and the superconducting layer. These requirements are mostly fulfilled by CeO2 which has been widely investigated as a cap layer. Here we demonstrate that a fine control of the degree of epitaxy and the surface morphology of the buffer layers on different single crystal and metallic substrates is required to achieve high critical current YBCO multilayers. These results allowed us to obtain all chemical multilayer films with controlled microstructure and high critical current densities (Jc> 3 MA cm-2 at 77K). This process is fully compatible with metallic substrates and thus we are presently implementing it.
Mariona Coll , Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona, Spanish National Research Council, Barcelona, Spain.
Technology Building 225, Rm. A362. (NIST Contact: Christina Hacker, 301-975-2233, christina.hacker@nist.gov)


5/17 -- THURSDAY

10:30 AM - QUANTUM ELECTRICAL METROLOGY DIVISION SEMINAR: Two-Level Systems in Superconducting Circuit Resonators
For use in quantum computers, superconducting qubits currently suffer from short coherence times. A couple of years ago wiring dielectrics used in the circuit fabrication of superconducting phase qubits were a suspect in limiting decoherence times. To uncover this, microwave resonators were used to measure the dissipation in amorphous dielectrics at stored resonator energies down to a single photon. It was found that the nonlinear loss tangent of the dielectric was consistent with a continuum of parasitic two-level systems. Phase qubits also exhibit splittings due to the interaction of the qubit with discrete two-level systems. To study these splittings further, we have recently fabricated a high-Q Josephson junction resonator that allows us to tune the resonance frequency. We measure the Josephson junction resonator down to the single photon limit and observe discrete two-level systems, similar to those in the qubit, that are attributed to defects in the Josephson junction. At higher photon numbers the resonator non-linearity becomes apparent and a bifurcation of dynamic states occurs, which has further applications in superconducting quantum computing.****Bio: Kevin Osborn received his doctorate in physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2001 under the advisement of Professor Dale Van Harlingen, with a thesis on critical fluctuations of the superfluid density in high-temperature superconducting films. He then went to the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, Colorado and completed two postdoctoral projects. In the first project he measured individual electrons tunneling onto InGaAs quantum dots using Al single-electron transistors. Then in 2004 he received a National Research Council Postdoctoral Award and stayed at NIST-Boulder to investigate decoherence mechanisms caused by two-level systems in superconducting phase qubits with microwave resonators. In January of 2007, Kevin came to the Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the University of Maryland to lead research on superconducting circuit resonators for quantum computing.
Kevin Osborn , Laboratory for Physical Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD.
Metrology Building, Room B365. (NIST Contact: Neil Zimmerman, 301-975-5887, neil.zimmerman@nist.gov)

10:45 AM - ,. SEMINAR: Hydrogen Storage in Microporous Coordination Solids with Exposed Metal Sites
Methods for synthesizing frameworks bearing coordinatively-unsaturated metal centers are being developed in order to increase the H2 binding enthalpy within microporous coordination solids. The porosity and hydrogen storage properties of the dehydrated Prussian blue analogues Ga[Co(CN)6], Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3, M3[Co(CN)6]2 (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn), M2[Fe(CN)6] (M = Mn, Co, Ni, Cu), and Co3[Co(CN)5]2 have been investigated. Means of incorporating metal carbonyl units within Zn4O(1,4-benzenedicarboxylate)3 have been devised, and attempts at decarbonylating the resulting materials will be described. In addition, the use of pyrazole- and tetrazole-based ligands for generating frameworks with open metal coordination sites will be discussed, with emphasis on a new sodalite-type framework exhibiting a high volumetric H2 storage capacity. The potential utility of such materials in hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles will be assessed.
J. Long , Dept. of Chemistry, UC Berkley.
Bldg. 235, E100 (Large Conf. room). (NIST Contact: Mark Green, 301-975-4297, mark.green@nist.gov)

10:45 AM - MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION RESEARCH DIVISION: Construction Material Particles: Characterization and Modeling
To build and use accurate material models that predict macro behavior from micro scales, one needs careful characterization of the materials just as much as one needs a sound theoretical foundation for the models. This case is illustrated with new results on various inorganic particles used in construction materials, including aggregates (gravel and sand), cement, and rock dust. Characterization techniques include synchrotron-based X-ray microcomputed tomography and laser diffraction. The interaction between particle characterization and computational particle shape and size models is also discussed, along with the realization of models within the Virtual Cement and Concrete Testing Laboratory. This talk includes a short tribute to Dr. Geoffrey Frohnsdorff, who founded the original Building Materials Division and who was the source of the general ideas behind much of the current work of the two materials groups in the Materials and Construction Research Division.
Edward Garboczi , Leader, Inorganic Materials Group.
224 Bldg, Rm. B245. (NIST Contact: Aaron Forster, 301-975-8701, aaron.forster@nist.gov)
Special Assistance Available


5/18 -- FRIDAY

10:00 AM - SEMICONDUCTOR ELECTRONICS DIVISION SEMINAR: Electro Micro Metrology: Are We Heading Towards Performance-Based MEMS Standards?
Research at the micro/nano-scale poses new challenges for metrology and technological advancement. This talk begins with an overview of several of these challenges. Then an interesting metrology technique will be presented, which may be used to help with such challenges. The talk will conclude with a discussion of a few benefits and applications of this new methodology. Advancements in micro/nano-scale materials, sensors, actuators, typically depend on precise measurements of new phenomena, and accurate characterizations of performances through modeling. To verify analytical and numerical models of such phenomena, it is necessary that the performance of the models match the performance of the actual devices. To accomplish this, the model and device must share the same geometric and material parameters. These parameters should be measured for each device because parameters vary across and within fabrication runs. To address this challenge, electro micro metrology (EMM) is being developed to exploit the strong coupling between micro/nano-mechanical parameters and precise micro-electronic measurands. That is, it deduces many geometric, dynamic, and material properties by electronic probing. Since EMM is performance-based, it retains a clear meaning to manufacturers and users; and it applies to a wide variety of micro/nano-devices. Preliminary results show that EMM is several orders of magnitude more precise than convention.
Jason Clark , Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and of Mechanical Engineering, at Purdue, West Lafayette, IN, jvclark@purdue.edu.
Technology Building, Rm A362. (NIST Contact: Janet Marshall, 301-975-2049, janet.marshall@nist.gov)

10:30 AM - NIST COLLOQUIUM SERIES : The Fragile Edge: The Fate of the Ocean
Assaulted by pollution, overfishing, climate change, trash, and noise, our oceans are approaching a point of no return. The health of the world they feed and protect won't be far behind. A master diver and filmmaker on the mystery, fragility – and heart stopping adventure – of underwater life, Whitty will describe some of her experiences exploring the South Pacific ocean world and some of the latest ways in which science extends our understanding of unfathomable waters, including the sonar tracking of a huge, unknown loner with a voice louder than that of any known species.
Julia Whitty , Naturalist and Documentary Writer, Hardy Jones/Julia Whitty Productions.
Administration Building, Red Auditorium. (NIST Contact: Kum Ham, 301-975-4203, kham@nist.gov)
Special Assistance Available

11:30 AM - OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY DIVISION SEMINAR: Projected improvements in high temperature metrology
The measurement of temperatures above 1100 °C is undergoing a step change improvement with the introduction of high temperature fixed-points and improved robust versions of thermocouples such as Pt/Pd. This paper reviews international developments in these areas potentially leading to a new definition of the ITS-90, reduced thermocouple uncertainties by factors of two or more with significantly improved dissemination and measurement of high temperatures in industry.
Graham Machin , National Physical Laboratory.
220 Bldg, Rm. B343. (NIST Contact: Benjamin Tsai, 301-975-2347, benjamin.tsai@nist.gov)


ADVANCE NOTICE

5/21/07 2:00 PM - DIRECTOR'S OFFICE, TECHNOLOGY SERVICES SEMINAR: NIST's Inaugural Celebration of World Metrology Day
NIST will hold an inaugural celebration of World Metrology Day on Monday, May 21, 2007, from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Join us in celebrating World Metrology Day -- a celebration of our core foundation and purpose! The theme for 2007 is Measurements in our Environment. NIST research and measurements provide a significant foundation for measurements made in our environment. Come to hear about NIST efforts related to this year's theme and stay for refreshments.
Katharine Gebbie , Director, Physics Laboratory, NIST. Jerry Fraser , Optical Technolgoy Division, Physics Laboratory, NIST. Pam Chu, Process Measurements Division, CSTL, NIST; Hunter Franney, Building Environment Division, BFRL, NIST; and Willie May, Director, CSTL, NIST
Administration Building, Red Auditorium. (NIST Contact: Belinda Collins, 301-975-4500, belinda.collins@nist.gov)

5/24/07 10:30 AM - PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES DIVISION SEMINAR: Atmospheric Chemistry Mechanisms for Air Quality Modeling: The Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Mechanism, Version 2
Millions of Americans are exposed to air with unhealthy levels of ozone and particulate matter. State-of-the-art air quality models are applied to plan air pollution mitigation strategies and to forecast air quality. The chemical mechanism used in a model is its heart and it may strongly affect the accuracy of the model’s calculated air pollutant concentrations. One of the standard chemical mechanisms developed internationally and used by the U.S. EPA and NOAA is the Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Mechanism (RACM). The RACM mechanism is intended for simulating atmospheric chemistry under conditions that range from remote to highly polluted urban and at altitudes that range from the Earth’s surface through the upper troposphere. The RACM mechanism has been updated and expanded to create a new version (RACM2). The changes to the inorganic chemistry were relatively minor but there were substantial changes for many organic compounds. These revisions to the mechanism include more detailed aromatic and isoprene chemistry and the addition of the chemistry of less reactive compounds, such as benzene and acetone. In addition, this updated version includes updated cross-sections and quantum yields for its photolysis reactions. The RACM2 mechanism should be preferred because of its performance in simulating chamber data and its greater fidelity to known atmospheric chemistry. RACM2 is now being implemented in the EPA/NOAA Community Multiscale Air Quality Modeling System (CMAQ) where it will be used for research and the development of policy nationwide.
William Stockwell , Professor/Howard University, Washington, DC.
Physics (221) Bldg, Rm. B145. (NIST Contact: Vladimir Orkin, 301-975-4418, vladimir.orkin@nist.gov)

6/25/07 9:00 AM - METALLURGY DIVISION SEMINAR: IEEE Magnetism in Nanotechnology & Electronics Conference
The IEEE Magnetics Society Chapter of the Northern Virginia/Washington DC is organizing the IMAGINE Conference 2007 to provide an occasion for the magnetism researchers in this region and nearby to meet, interact, and exchange ideas. In addition, this is a good opportunity for postdoc/junior researchers and graduate students to present their research and gain exposure in the magnetism community.
IEEE IMAGINE , CONFERENCE.
Administration Bldg, Red Auditorium. (NIST Contact: Wing Tat Pong, 301-975-8876, ppong@nist.gov) http://ewh.ieee.org/r2/wash_nova/mags/ieeeimagine/

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MEETINGS ELSEWHERE


5/14 -- MONDAY

No Scheduled Events

5/15 -- TUESDAY

No Scheduled Events

5/16 -- WEDNESDAY

No Scheduled Events

5/17 -- THURSDAY

No Scheduled Events

5/18 -- FRIDAY

No Scheduled Events

ADVANCE NOTICE

No Scheduled Events

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TALKS BY NIST PERSONNEL

BEVERSLUIS, M. : NANO-OPTICS FOR CHEMICAL AND MATERIALS CHARACTERIZATION.
Optical Society of America CLEO/QELS Conference, Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD, 5/11.

HIGHT WALKER, D. : SIZE MATTERS: CARBON NANOTUBES AND MAGNETIC NANOPARTICLES.
Carbon Nanotubes Competence and Bioimaging Initiative, NIST, Boulder, CO, 5/15.

FAHEY, A. : SPATIALLY RESOLVED ISOTOPIC ANALYSIS OF MARTIAN METEORITES USING THE IMS 1270.
SIMS Workshop, Key Largo, Florida, 5/15.

SIMONS, D. : MEASUREMENT OF URANIUM ISOTOPIC COMPOSITION WITH HIGH SENSITIVITY AND SPECIFICITY BY SECONDARY ION MASS SPECTROMETRY.
20th Annual Workshop on SIMS, Key Largo, FL, 5/17.

GILLEN, G. : RECENT INSIGHTS INTO MECHANISMS OF CLUSTER SIMS.
20th Annual Workshop on SIMS, Key Largo, FL, 5/17.

MAHONEY, C. : DEPTH PROFILING OF ATACTIC, ISOTATIC AND SYNDIOTACTIC PMMA USING AND SF 5+ POLYATOMIC SOURCE..
20th Annual Workshop on SIMS, Key Largo, Florida, 5/18.

HOLBROOK, R. : TROPHIC TRANSFER OF SURFACE FUNCTIONALIZED QUANTUM DOTS IN SIMPLIFIED FOOD WEB..
The Society of Environmental Toxicology Chemistry Annual Meeting, Porto, Portugal, 5/24.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

POLYMERS DIVISION SEMINAR: ENZYME CATALYSIS PROVIDES NEW PARADIGMS IN BIOMATERIALS SYNTHESIS AND MODIFICATION
New and versatile biocatalytic methods were developed that offer mild and efficient options for polymer synthesis. Lipase B from Candida antartica (CALB) physically immobilized on hydrophobic macroporous resins was found to be remarkable catalysts for both ring-opening and step-condensation reactions. A new family of aliphatic polyesters was discovered using sugar alcohol building blocks such as glycerol and sorbitol. Lipase regioselectivity enables direct copolymerizations of polyols with a range of diols and diacids to give non-crosslinked high molecular weight materials. The mild reaction conditions (50 to 90 oC) allow incorporation of chemically and/or thermally sensitive co-monomers such as silicones. Studies of fundamental aspects of reactions have lead to a better understanding of the polymerization mechanism and remarkable improvements in polymerization efficiency. Furthermore, research has been carried out in order to optimize protein-surface interactions to improve enzyme activity for polymer synthesis. Cutinases from different micro-organisms were evaluated for polymer synthesis and modification reactions. It was discovered that cutinases also possess impressive catalytic activity for lactone ring-opening and diacid/diol polycondensation reactions. In addition to polymer synthesis, cutinases have been discovered that have interesting activities for polymer modification and hydrolysis. As examples, the results of cutinase-catalyzed hydrolysis of PET and de-acetylation of poly(vinyl acetate) will be presented. Finally, new methods will be discussed for the synthesis of oligopeptides via protease catalysis. Hunsen, M.; Azim, A.; Mang, H.; Wallner, S. R.; Ronkvist, A.; Xie, W.; Gross, R. A. A Cutinase with Polyester Synthesis Activity. Macromolecules; 2007; 40(2); 148-150 (2007) Gao, W.; Hagver, R.; Shah, V.; Xie, W.; Gross, R. A.; Ilker, M. F.; Bell, C.; Burke, K. A.; Coughlin, E. B. Glycolipid Polymer Synthesized from Natural Lactonic Sophorolipids by Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization. Macromolecules;40(2); 145-147 (2007). Li, Geng; Vaidya, A; Viswanathan, K; Cui, JR; Xie, W.C.; Gao, W; Gross, R.A.; Rapid regioselective oligomerization of L-glutamic acid diethyl ester catalyzed by papain, Macromolecules 39 (23): 7915-7921 (2006) Bluth, M.H.; Kandil, E; Mueller, C.M.; Shah, V.; Lin, Y.Y.; Zhang, H; Dresner, L.; Lempert, L.; Nowakowski, M.; Gross, R; Schulze, R.; Zenilman, M.E. Sophorolipids block lethal effects of septic shock in rats in a cecal ligation and puncture model of experimental sepsis, Critical Care Medicine 34 (1): 188-195 (2006) Hu, J; Gao, W.; Kulshrestha, A.; Gross, R.A. "Sweet polyesters": Lipase-catalyzed condensation - Polymerizations of alditols, Macromolecules 39 (20): 6789-6792 (2006) Sahoo, B.; Brandstadt, K. F.; Lane, T. H.; Gross, R. A. “Sweet Silicones": Biocatalytic Reactions to Form Organosilicon Carbohydrate Macromers Org. Lett.; 7(18); 3857-3860 (2005). Kulshrestha, A. S.; Gao, W.; Gross, R.A. “Glycerol Copolyesters: Control of Branching and Molecular Weight Using a Lipase Catalyst”, Macromolecules, (2005); 38(8); 3193-3204 Ceccorulli, G.; Scandola, M.; Kumar, A.; Kalra, B.; Gross, R. A., “Cocrystallization of Random Copolymers of -Pentadecalactone and -Caprolactone Synthesized by Lipase Catalysis” Biomacromolecules; 6(2); 902-907 (2005).
NIST Contact: Marc Cicerone, 301-975-8104, cicerone@nist.gov

NIST-NRC POSTDOC PROGRAM
On Thursday, May 17, 2007, the National Research Council Postdoctoral Research Associateship Programs Staff will be visiting NIST Gaithersburg to discuss the NIST-NRC Postdoc Program. The visit will take place in the Administration Building, Lecture Room B at 11:00 a.m. The NRC Staff welcomes a discussion with NIST Postdoc Advisors, Supervisors, Managers and other interested parties. Please pass this information on to all interested parties in your OU. This is NIST's opportunity to ask about the NIST/NRC Postdoctoral Research Associateship Program and we encourage broad participation in the 11:00 a.m. session. NRC Participants include: Dr. Ray Gamble, Program Director, Postdoctoral Research Associateship Programs Ms. Suzanne White, Program Coordinator, Postdoctoral Research Associateship Programs PLEASE NOTE: For Boulder Staff, there will be a separate session in Boulder on June 6, 2007. For further information, please contact Susan Heller-Zeisler, (301) 975-3111 or szeisler@nist.gov
NIST Contact: Susan Heller-Zeisler, 301-975-3111, szeisler@nist.gov

RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS
Individuals at NIST who wish to do, or wish to sponsor any research involving human subjects, including human cells or tissue, are required by Federal regulations to obtain approval before embarking on the research. This includes: Research conducted here at NIST by NIST employees or guest workers Collaborative research with others outside of NIST, including CRADAs and other agreements Research funded by NIST through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements The current procedures for approving projects involving human subjects can be found in the NIST Administrative Manual Subchapter 14.01, Protection of Human Subjects (www-i.nist.gov/admin/mo/adman/1401.htm). These procedures ensure that the proposed research is in compliance with the applicable DOC Regulations, 15 CFR 27 (www.doc.gov/oebam/gforms.htm, click on 15CFR27 to download). NIST's Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviews and approves those research proposals that require review except in cases where an outside IRB has jurisdiction. The NIST IRB is described in Administrative Manual Subchapter 3.01, Appendix A (www-i.nist.gov/admin/mo/adman/301irb.htm). These regulations are broader than many people realize, and involve more than, for example, just invasive medical procedures. They can also cover volunteers participating in questionnaires and surveys and people testing computer software. All research involving human subjects and being conducted at an institution outside of NIST that has not been determined to be exempt from the Federal policy by the appropriate NIST OU Director needs to have an approval from that institution’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) or from an IRB that has a current Federal-wide Assurance (FWA) or a Multiple Project Assurance (MPA) from the Office for Human Research Protections, DHHS. In addition, the institution conducting the research involving human subjects must have a current FWA. The outside IRB’s approval will be subject to concurrence by NIST. The NIST IRB Chair reviews the documentation from the outside researchers and IRB and recommends approval or disapproval to the NIST Deputy Director, with the concurrence of the NIST Counsel. Research being conducted at NIST by NIST employees that has not been determined to be exempt by the appropriate NIST OU Director must be reviewed by the NIST IRB (formerly called The NIST Human Research Ethics Committee). The use of human subjects in the project may not begin until the Counsel for NIST has concurred with the IRB's recommendation to approve the project and the Deputy Director of NIST has approved it. Signatures required before the proposal is sent to the NIST IRB include that of the Group Leader and Division Chief (who approve the scientific merit of the research), and the Laboratory Director (who determines whether it is exempt). An OU Director's exemption determination must receive concurrence from the Counsel for NIST and then be forwarded to the NIST IRB Acting Chair, Dr. Lisa R. Karam for noting and filing. For more information, contact the NIST IRB Secretary, Brenda L. Thomasson, (301) 975-3190 or (301) 975-3084, email: blthomas@nist.gov or visit our website at: http://www-i.nist.gov/director/IRB/ (For best viewing of all pages associated with this website, your monitor should have a display setting of 800 by 600 and in Microsoft Internet Explorer). All correspondence should be mailed to Mail Stop 2200.
NIST Contact: Brenda L. Thomasson, 301-975-3190, blthomas@nist.gov

VISITOR REGISTRATION FOR NIST EVENTS
Because of heightened security at the NIST Gaithersburg site, members of the public who wish to attend meetings, seminars, lectures, etc. must first register in advance. For more information please call or e-mail the "NIST Contact" for the particular event you would like to attend.
NIST Contact: . ., ., .

2007 WORLD STANDARDS DAY PAPER COMPETITION
The U.S. standards community will celebrate World Standards Day on Thursday, October 18, 2007, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC. This year’s theme, “Standards and the Global Village” recognizes the global consensus-building capacity of standards developing organizations. Along with this event, the 2007 World Standards Day sponsors, including NIST, will hold the annual paper competition. Papers are invited that show, using specific examples, ways that standards developing organizations have encouraged and created global consensus for the economic and social benefit of the global village. Paper competition winners will be announced and given their awards at the U.S. celebration of World Standards Day. Cash prizes are awarded by the Standards Engineering Society (SES) and the World Standards Day Planning Committee. The first place winner will receive a plaque and $2,500. Second and third place winners will receive $1,000 and $500, respectively, along with a certificate. In addition, the winning papers will be published in SES’s journal, Standards Engineering. ELIGIBILITY: The competition is open to all U.S. individuals in the private sector or at government facilities. Papers may be co-authored. RULES: Entries must be original and not previously published. NIST papers must be processed through WERB or BERB. All paper contest submissions must be received with an official entry form by midnight August 31, 2007, by the SES Executive Director, 13340 SW 96th Avenue, Miami, Florida, 33176. Complete details and entry forms are available on the SES website www.ses-standards.org (follow the link for “2007 WSD Paper Competition.”) For additional information about the U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day, or to register for the event, please visit www.wsd-us.org.
NIST Contact: Mary Donaldson, 301-975-6197, mary.donaldson@nist.gov

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NIST WEB SITE ANNOUNCEMENTS

NIST'S INAUGURAL CELEBRATION OF WORLD METROLOGY DAY
NIST will hold an inaugural celebration of World Metrology Day on Monday, May 21, 2007. Join us in celebrating World Metrology Day--a celebration of our core foundation and purpose!The theme for 2007 is Measurements in our Environment. NIST research and measurements provide a significant foundation for measurements made in our environment. Come to hear about NIST efforts related to this year's theme and stay for refreshments.
NIST Contact: Belinda Collins, 301-975-4500, belinda.collins@nist.gov

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For more information, contact Ms. Sharon Hallman, Editor, Stop 2500, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg MD 20899-2500; Telephone: 301-975-TCAL (3570); Fax: 301-926-4431; or Email: tcal@nist.gov.

All lectures and meetings are open unless otherwise stated.

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