National Institute of Standards and TechnologyL

(NIST) is the agency of the United States Department of Commerce. The NIST was
formerly known as the National Bureau of Standards (NBS); the name change occurred in
January 1989.

The NBS was established by Congress in 1901 as the central measurement laboratory of
the federal government. The institute is the focal point in the United States for assuring
maximum application of the physical and engineering sciences to the development of
technology in industry and commerce. It comprises the National Measurement Laboratory, the
National Engineering Laboratory, the Institute for Materials Science and Engineering, and the
Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology. The NIST promotes the use of precision
technology by conducting research and providing centralized services in four broad program
areas: basic measurements and standards, materials measurements and standards,
technological measurements and standards, and transfer of technical information.

The NIST provides facilities necessary for a complete and consistent system of basic
physical and chemical measurements and standards in the United States, and it furnishes
essential services leading to accurate and uniform measurements throughout the scientific
community, industry, and commerce. In 1972, for example, agency scientists developed a
helium-neon gas-laser technique that for the first time gave the precise measurement of the
speed of light as 299,792.45 km/sec (186,282.396 mi/sec).

The NIST also cooperates with public and private organizations to develop technological
standards and test methodologies by conducting research on the properties of materials that are
needed by industry, commerce, educational institutions, and government. This research leads to
improved methods of standardizing measurements and collecting data. One of the agency's
activities is to relate the physical and chemical properties of materials to their behavior and their
interaction with their environments; major contributions have been made in fire and motor-
vehicle safety. In the 1970s the agency became involved in conserving energy in the home,
office, and industry; measuring environmental pollution; and investigating the hazards of many
consumer products.

Another major activity of the NIST is developing technical services to promote the use of
available technology that will facilitate innovation and precision in industry and governmental
institutions.

Finally, at federal, state, and local government levels, the NIST provides advisory and
research services to all agencies by developing, producing, and distributing standard reference
materials. It promotes optimum dissemination and accessibility of scientific information
generated within the NIST and other agencies of the federal government. In this, the institute
is assisted by its National Standard Reference Data System and by a system of
informationanalysis centers dealing with the broader aspects of the national measurement
system.
Because of its unique data-gathering functions, the NIST is the principal agent for the
development of federal standards for automatic data processing techniques, for computer
equipment, and for computer languages. After the name change in 1989, the agency
announced that it would soon establish regional manufacturing technology centers to speed
the spread of new technology.

Exercise

1. Make a summary into one paragraph!

2. Please make five questions concerning the text above!