Dr. Willie E. May

Director of the Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory (CSTL). CSTL is one of the nine technical Operational Units within the National Institute of Standards and Technology and has approximately 325 technical staff and an annual Budget of approximately $85M. The NIST 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 quality of life. CSTL supports NIST’s Mission by addressing customer needs for measurements, standards, and data in the areas broadly encompassed by chemistry, chemical engineering and the biosciences. Areas of growth and/or increased emphasis include bioscience and health, nanometrology, assessment of climate change and renewable energy technologies. The laboratory is organized into five Divisions along disciplinary lines:

• Analytical Chemistry: Chemical measurements research and services in: inorganic, organic and electroanalytical chemistry; atomic, molecular and mass spectrometry; and microanalytical technologies

• Biochemical Science: DNA chemistry, sequencing; Protein structure, properties, and modeling; Biomaterials; Biocatalysis and bioprocessing measurements

• Chemical and Biochemical Reference Data: Experimental, theoretical, and computational research on the identity and reactivity of chemical species, emphasizing data, information, and protocols for the identification of chemical and biochemical species

• Process Measurements: Research, calibration services and provision of primary standards for temperature, pressure, vacuum, humidity, fluid flow, air speed, liquid density and volume, and gaseous leak-rate measurements; Sensor research

• Surface and Microanalysis Science: Nanoscale chemical characterization; Particle characterization and standards; Electronic and advanced materials characterization; Surface and interface chemistry; Advanced isotope metrology

• Thermophysical Properties: Experiment, theoretical, and simulation research on the properties of gases, liquids, and solids, emphasizing thermophysical properties
  

Other National and International Responsibilities: Dr. May has several leadership responsibilities in addition to those at NIST. Currently he is Chair, Organic Analysis Working Group, Consultative Committee on the Quantity of Material (Chemical Measurements), International Committee for Weights and Measures; Chair, Chemical Metrology Working Group, Interamerican System for Metrology; and Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Traceability in Laboratory Medicine Working Group on Reference Materials and Reference Procedures and Chair, Executive Board for the Hollings Marine Laboratory in Charleston, SC. In the past he has served as President and Executive Board Member for the International Society for Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds; Chair, Physical Sciences Panel, Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship Evaluation Board; Chair, Chemistry Panel, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; Chair, Chemical Metrology Subpanel, Institute for National Measurement Standards, National Research Council of Canada; and Chair, Committee on Minority Affairs, American Chemical Society.

Honors and Awards: Department of Commerce Bronze Medal Award, 1981; National Bureau of Standards (NBS) Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Award, 1982; Department of Commerce Silver Medal Award, 1985; Arthur Flemming Award for Outstanding Federal Service, 1986; NOBCChE Percy Julian Award for Outstanding Research in Organic Analytical Chemistry and Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Federal Executive, 1992; Department of Commerce Gold Medal, 1992; American Chemical Society Distinguished Service in the Advancement of Analytical Chemistry Award, 2001; Keynote Speaker for the 2002 Winter Commencement Ceremonies, University of Maryland, College of Life Sciences; Council for Chemical Research Diversity Award, the NOBCChE Henry Hill Award for exemplary work and leadership in the field of chemistry, Science Spectrum Magazine Emerald Award, in 2005, and the 2007 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award from the College of Chemical and Life Sciences, University of Maryland.