USG NSSCET Presentation: UIDP London Forum 2023

October 17, 2023
9:30 AM – 3:15 PM CET (3:30 AM – 9:15 AM ET)

UIDP London 2023 will convene research and partnership professionals from academia, industry, and government to examine the future potential impact of national laboratories in the research landscape.

This interactive forum will bring together national leaders in the national research laboratory sphere and university, industry, and other government program perspectives. Attendees will have an opportunity to share common challenges and benefit from sharing and learning about best practices that leverage partnerships.

Agenda Highlights: 

• Fireside Chat with Laurie Locascio, U.S. National Institute for Standards and Technology, and Tony Boccanfuso, UIDP
  For the past three years, the US Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) have partnered in areas of mutual interest in research, research translation, and commercialization. Laurie Locascio, director of NIST and the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology, will discuss the collaboration to date and the role of public-private partnerships in advancing innovation in critical and emerging technologies.
• ​​​​​​​Fostering Standards Development for Critical and Emerging Technology: NIST and DSIT will co-present a session that will highlight NIST’s role in international/academic collaboration and also highlight the broad objectives of the U.S. Government National Standards Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technology (USG NSSCET). DSIT will inform participants on the UK Government approach to digital standards, including fostering innovation and commitment to uphold integrity in the system. Both will reinforce support for a private sector-led, inclusive, standards development ecosystem underpinned by transparency, openness of process, and consensus-based decision making. ​​​​​​​
• Remarks will be followed by an Interactive Networking Lunch with questions displayed by QR codes on electronic kiosks. UIDP will collect the feedback and share with NIST, DSIT, and NPL after the event.

Background:
On May 4, 2023, the White House released  the U.S. Government National Standards Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technology (USG NSSCET). The new strategy reinforces the U.S. Government’s support for a private sector-led, open, consensus-based international standards system, with a particular focus on critical and emerging technology(ies) (CET).

The USG NSSCET specifically names three actions to expand standards cooperation and coordination with likeminded partners and allies:

• Line of Effort #5: Enhance U.S. Government and like-minded nations’ representation and influence in international standards governance and leadership.
• Line of Effort #7: Deepen standards cooperation with allies and partners to support a robust standards governance process.
• Line of Effort #8: Facilitate broad representation in standards development.

Implementation of the USG NSSCET requires robust stakeholder engagement and a renewed commitment to the fundamental principles of transparency, openness, impartiality and consensus, effectiveness and relevance, and coherence.  NIST is working across the international standards community, seeking information on behalf of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Government to support the development of a USG NSSCET implementation plan.

NIST is hosting interactive listening sessions to inform international stakeholders, gather the collective wisdom of the community, and generate excitement and support for responses an upcoming Request for Information (RFI).  Updates on engagements and the RFI can be found on standards.gov.