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Jim Cline stands in front of a large scientific device in a lab, holding a small white disk.

NIST’s Most Popular Reference Materials and What They Tell Us About the Science of Measurement

January 8, 2026

NIST develops and sells more than 1,300 standard reference materials that are critical to supporting American industry and conducting research.

A researcher works at a computer with the screen showing a black scaffold structure on a white background.

Taking Measure Celebrates 10 Years of Science and Stories

January 7, 2026

Megan King

We take a look back at 10 years of the Taking Measure blog.

Andrew Iams wears safety glasses as his face is framed in an opening between two horizontal pieces of equipment in the lab.

From the Steel City to the Lab: Strengthening the U.S. Steel Industry Through Science

August 26, 2025

Andrew Iams

A NIST researcher from Pittsburgh — known as the Steel City — is working to understand how we can better make steel right here in the U.S.

Angie Hight Walker and Amber McCreary stand side by side in the lab adjusting a complex scientific device.

From Postdoc to Quantum Physicist: How NIST Made Me a Better Scientist and Leader

August 22, 2025

Amber McCreary

A former NIST postdoctoral researcher recalls how hands-on science and supportive mentoring helped develop her science career.

A bearded man poses smiling next to an open cabinet of equipment in a lab.

Laser Focused: How Light Reflections Could Revolutionize 3D Printing of Metals

August 13, 2025

Brian Gutierrez

A NIST researcher is working to better understand 3D metal printing — in hopes that the technology could make more consistent parts.

A researcher wearing safety glasses stands in the lab, reaching into a metal device on the lab table.

When Concrete Cracks: How Science Can Save Buildings

July 1, 2025

Brian Gutierrez

NIST concrete research has already saved billions of dollars, and we’re working to help homeowners address expensive cracks in their homes’ foundations.

Alexander Kramida looks up as he sits at his desk in front of a computer screen full of data.

Shedding Light: How NIST’s Light Database Helps Bring You Computer Chips, Welded Steel and More

March 17, 2025

Alexander Kramida

Atomic spectroscopy helps to bring us many things we use every day, but without updated information, it would be harder for scientists and experts to create these things. That’s where a NIST atomic spectra database comes in.

Trey Diulus poses sitting in the lab with a large, complex scientific instrument in the foreground.

Curiosity to Career: Encouraging Students to Pursue STEM Education

September 6, 2024

J. Trey Diulus

A NIST researcher is volunteering to educate young students about life as a scientist — and encourage kids to envision a career for themselves in STEM.

A researcher wearing safety gear kneels at the open door of a lab fridge, displaying a tray of samples.

Sinking Our Teeth Into Science: How Biomedical Engineering Can Help Make Us Healthier

August 21, 2024

Robert A. Gutierrez

From safer dental products to tracking the movement of tiny plastics through gut tissues, regenerative medicine can make us healthier.

Thomas Forbes wears safety glasses as he looks at the screen attached to a piece of equipment in the lab.

Your Future Medications Could Be Personalized for You on a 3D Printer

May 28, 2024

Lawrence Goodman

Your future medications could be made on a 3D printer, and a NIST researcher is working to make sure that process is safe.

Four people sitting outside on a green tarp wear eclipse glasses as they peer up into the sky.

NIST Researchers Measure Greenhouse Gases During the Solar Eclipse

May 9, 2024

Alex Boss

Check out some of the things happening at NIST during the past few months through the lens of social media.

Brad Sutliff wears safety glasses as he stands in the lab in front of a computer monitor.

From Trash to Cash: How AI and Machine Learning Can Help Make Recycling Less Expensive for Local Governments

May 3, 2024

Bradley Sutliff

Can AI help us recycle better? A NIST researcher is working to make that happen.

Close-up shows shiny metal patches with areas of green corrosion and open holes.

Houston, We Have the Engine Remnants: How My Lab Pieced Together a Forgotten Part of an Apollo Rocket

March 5, 2024

Adam Creuziger

Like many people, I had dreams of flying into space as an astronaut when I was a child. That interest in aerospace and space exploration has continued throughout my life.

A small orange is packaged in a plastic container with a lid.

A Polymer Scientist Wrestles — Literally and Figuratively — With the Frustrations of Plastic Packaging

January 4, 2024

Kate Beers

If you’ve resolved to be a more eco-conscious consumer this year, learn about how NIST’s circular economy lead thinks about plastic packaging in our everyday lives.

Melinda Kleczynski poses sitting at her desk, with a monitor showing data and graphs behind her.

From Diamonds in Your Computer to Safer Medications, NIST Researchers Look at What’s Next for 2024 and Beyond

December 18, 2023

Our up-and-coming researchers look ahead to 2024 and beyond — and tell us how their work will impact the world.

A man in safety gear crouches to examine a damaged wall inside a building after an earthquake.

The Highs and Lows of Studying the Aftermath of One of Turkey’s Deadliest Earthquakes

October 16, 2023

Matthew Speicher

Our goal at NIST is to not only document and learn from disasters, but to also spur innovation and make recommendations to help lessen the impact of the next disaster.

Diana Ortiz-Montalvo, wearing safety glasses and holding a small circular filter with tweezers, poses with Abigail Lindstrom in the lab.

Microplastics Mystery: Sampling Airborne Microplastics at a Recycling Facility

October 4, 2023

Diana Ortiz-Montalvo

During National Hispanic Heritage Month, a NIST researcher shares how her upbringing in Puerto Rico inspired her to study air quality.

Christine McGinn wears safety glasses as she handles plastic bottles and other materials in the lab.

My Science Project Collapsed, but My Science Career Was Just Getting Started

May 24, 2023

Christine McGinn

Representation and mentors are key to promoting diversity in America’s science and technology workforce into the future.

NIST researcher Jessie Zhang, wearing a protective suit, mask, and safety glasses holds up a piece of foil in the lab.

Foiled! NIST Unwraps What’s Baking Under Aluminum in Its Labs

March 29, 2023

Megan King

Here at NIST, we do a different kind of baking, but we often use the same foil you use in your own kitchen.

Camila Espina Young poses outdoors for a head shot

Hurricane Maria Recollections, Software Nostalgia, The Brothers Engineering: A Sample of Stories on NIST Social Media

November 2, 2022

Riley Wilson

The work happening at NIST can often be described as more than simply “work.”

Two women in hiking gear stands at the top of a canyon, which is in the background.

Speeding Up Carbon Capture: A Q&A With NIST Scientist Pamela Chu

August 23, 2022

She explains what NIST is doing to speed up the chemical reactions — and the innovations — that might help slow down climate change.

Jeffrey Fong poses smiling in front of a railing overlooking a concrete dam.

My Journey From Designing Dams to Helping Structures Live Their Longest Lives

August 2, 2022

Jeffrey T. Fong

Jeffrey Fong writes about how his personal drive for safe engineering design led him to work at NIST.

Yellowish blades of kelp are growing under the surface of the water.

Improving Recycling, Tracking Mercury and Analyzing Kelp: A Sample of Eco-Friendly Research Featured on NIST Social Media

June 8, 2022