Hurricane Recovery...NIST Assistance

The staff, guest researchers, and contractors of the National Institute of Standards and Technology are deeply concerned for the safety and welfare of residents of the Gulf Coast Region. Many have contributed individually with financial and material donations and/or commitments of time. As an institution, we are actively seeking ways to provide more organized efforts. Some of our activities are described here.

NIST is providing administrative relief actions for grantees and recipients affected by recent hurricanes.

Short-term Appointments at NIST for displaced professionals:

Technical Personnel

Scientists and engineers who have lost laboratories, facilities, or employment as a result of Hurricanes Katrina or Rita may apply for a temporary appointment at NIST. This effort is targeted to academic researchers, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, as well as industrial scientists and engineers who would be able to contribute to existing research projects at NIST and/or to utilize NIST User Facilities. Researchers requiring financial support, as well as those who are supported by their home institution or by research grants, are encouraged to contact us.

Support Personnel

A limited number of positions are also available for displaced professionals with skills in budget and financing/accounting, website development and database management, computer security, telecommunications, contracting and acquisition.

Contact Information:

If you are interested in working with NIST on a temporary appointment, please send your name, contact information, as much of your professional history as possible, and your interests/skills to recovery@nist.gov.

NIST's Building and Fire Research Laboratory (BFRL) is providing on-site expertise in building damage assessment to organizations and agencies responding to the Hurricane disasters.

Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program Efforts for Small Manufacturers: NIST's Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) centers are assessing the impact of the hurricanes on small manufacturers in the gulf coast area. MEP is working to locate appropriate resources and provide requested assistance to get small manufacturers back up and running as quickly as possible.

NIST Employees: Many NIST employees have volunteered to help with recovery in place of their regular duties. Some have worked emergency phone banks, others may be deployed to the Gulf Coast Region.

What the government is doing

For more information on hurricane recovery assistance from the Federal government, see http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/PublicSafety/Hurricane_Katrina_Recovery.shtml.

If you would like further information on assistance from NIST, please contact John Curry in the NIST Program Office. Or you may contact the NIST Inquiries Office at 301/975-NIST (6478)

NIST is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce

Created: 9/14/05
Last updated: 08/14/07