On November 5, Dr. Patrick Gallagher was confirmed by the US Senate as the 14th director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. He had been serving as deputy director since September 2008, but has been employed with NIST since 1993 as a scientist. In that role, he pursued research in neutron and X-ray instrumentation and accompanying studies of the properties of technologically important “soft” materials such as polymers, liquids and gels.
Gallagher became active in US policy for scientific user facilities in his role as a NIST agency representative for the White House National Science and Technology Council. He also served as chair of the Interagency Working Group on neutron and light source facilities at the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
“I am humbled and honored to serve as the next Director of NIST,” Gallagher said. “NIST is at an important juncture in its history. We have a world-class workforce, state-of-the-art research facilities, and the opportunity to make a real difference helping find practical, innovative solutions to some of the nation’s toughest technical challenges.”
[Source: US Department of Commerce, http://www.commerce.gov/]
