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Special Programs Office (SPO)

News and Updates

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NIST Announces Initial Members of Forensic Science Digital Evidence Subcommittee

December 22, 2014

Digital evidence plays a growing role in a wide variety of crimes as cell phones, computers, GPS and other digital devices carry increasing amounts of

NIST-Funded Researcher Wins Honor for Food Safety Test

December 4, 2014

News article courtesy the University of Maryland A. James Clark School of Engineering University of Maryland (UMD) Fischell Department of Bioengineering

NIST Study 'Makes the Case' for RFID Forensic Evidence Management

December 4, 2014

Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags—devices that can transmit data over short distances to identify objects, animals or people—have become increasingly

402 Members Named to Forensic Science Standards Organization

October 29, 2014

The U.S. Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced today the final appointments to the Organization for Scientific

NIST Megacities Carbon Project Named 'Project to Watch' by United Nations

September 15, 2014

A greenhouse gas field measurement research program developed by scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and several

It's a Match: NIST and Prince George's County Crime Lab Team Up on Ballistics Research

August 11, 2014

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology are working to improve ballistics matching methods with assistance from the Prince George's

NIST engineer pointing at a firing pin impression.

NIST Names Members to First Forensic Science Standards Board

June 26, 2014

As part of its efforts to improve the scientific basis of forensic evidence used in courts of law, the U.S. Commerce Department's National Institute of

New Report Addresses International Disaster Resilience for U.S. and Partner Countries

June 17, 2014

While national security efforts seek to prevent terrorist attacks, the United States and partner countries should also prepare to work together to mitigate the

Forensic Committee Application Closes for 2014; Candidates May Apply for 2015

May 14, 2014

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has received more than 1300 applications for new committees and subcommittees it is establishing to

FDNY Says 'Thanks' to NIST Engineers

May 13, 2014

Most New Yorkers may not realize it, but their first responders are better equipped for search and hazmat operations thanks, in part, to standard test methods

Dickinson College earth science students visit NIST Robotic Test Facility.

NIST Scientists Demonstrate Career Options for Earth Science Students

April 24, 2014

NIST rocks! That's what a group of Dickinson College earth science students and their professor thought after visiting the Gaithersburg, Md., campus of the

Test tubes, evidence bags, etc., from a forensics laboratory

NIST Seeks Applicants to Join Forensic Science Committees

April 22, 2014

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is accepting applications from members of the forensic science, criminal justice and academic research

NIST Presents an Infrastructure Plan to Strengthen Forensic Science Committees

February 7, 2014

NIST forensic science experts presented a plan for a new Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) at the first meeting of the National Commission on

First Members of New National Commission on Forensic Science Named

January 14, 2014

The U.S. Department of Justice and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have announced the appointment of 33 individuals to a newly created

Christopher Neary demonstrates the use of a handheld Raman spectrometer.

New Spectrometry Standard for Handheld Chemical Detectors Aids First Responders

October 24, 2013

When it comes to detectors for dangerous chemicals, toxins or nefarious germs, smaller and faster is better. But size and speed must still allow for accuracy

NIST Invites Comments on Structure of Forensic Science Guidance Groups

September 27, 2013

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking input on the structure of guidance groups that would promote scientific validity and

Updated and Expanded Crime Scene Investigation, a Guide for Law Enforcement, Now Available

September 18, 2013

Investigators and first responders can find the latest recommendations on crime scene investigations in the newly updated Crime Scene Investigation, a Guide for

NIST Forensic Science Experts Give Updates in Hot Topic Areas

August 6, 2013

While television may portray forensic science as able to distill the most complex crime scenes in under an hour, real life forensic lab workers know the limits

NIST Offers Guidance on Building 21st-Century Forensic Labs

July 10, 2013

A new National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) handbook provides law enforcement agencies with a detailed how-to guide on the planning, design

On Demand Video from the Forensic Handwriting Analysis Conference - Now Available Online (Free)

June 13, 2013

On June 4–5, 2013, NIST hosted the Measurement Science and Standards in Forensic Handwriting Analysis Conference in collaboration with the American Academy of

New NIST Facility Puts Bomb and Urban Search and Rescue Robots to the Test

June 4, 2013

May 15, 2013 – A sign points the way to the National Institute of Standards and Technology's new Robot Test Facility in Gaithersburg, Md., where engineers

Register Now for the Two-Day Forensic Handwriting Analysis Conference Webcast

May 29, 2013

Next week, join NIST and our collaborators via the free live webcast for the Measurement Science and Standards in Forensic Handwriting Analysis Conference and

technician collecting biological material from pipe bom

New Guide Details Steps from A-to-Z for Preserving Biological Evidence

April 30, 2013

A new handbook by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice (NIJ) provides

DNA Analyst Training on Mixture Interpretation Webcast Now Posted Online

April 29, 2013

On April 12, 2013, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) hosted a workshop for DNA Analysts at its Gaithersburg, Maryland, campus, which was

NFI Publishes White Paper on Trends, Challenges and Strategy in Forensic Science

April 9, 2013

The role of forensic science throughout the world is changing due to recent technological development. Whereas forensic science has traditionally supported

Advanced communications
-Open Radio Access Network (Open-RAN)
-Quantum communications
-Spectrum sharing
-Wireless (RF)
Bioscience
-Bioeconomy
--Biological data
-Bioimaging
-Bioinformatics
-Biomanufacturing
-Biomaterials
-Biometrology
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--Biosurveillance
--Genomic cybersecurity
--Nucleic acid sequence screening
-Cell measurements
-Engineering / synthetic biology
--Biofabrication
--Cell-free systems
--Genome engineering
--Protein engineering
-Gene delivery systems
-Genome editing
-Genomics
-Glycomics
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-Proteomics
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Buildings and Construction
-Building codes and standards
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-Building economics
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Chemistry
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Electronics
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Energy
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Environment
-Air / water / soil quality
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Fire
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-Fire fighting
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Forensic Science
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Health
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Information technology
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Infrastructure
Manufacturing
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-Product data
-Robotics in manufacturing
--Agility and adaptability
--Collaborative robots
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--Mobility and industrial autonomous vehicles
--Navigation / actuation / control
--Sensing and perception
-Supply chain
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-Systems engineering
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Materials
-Ceramics
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--Composition and structure
--Mechanical properties
--Thermal properties
-Metals
-Modeling and computational material science
-Polymers
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Mathematics and statistics
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-Modeling and simulation research
-Numerical methods and software
-Statistical analysis
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Metrology
-Amount of substance
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-Flow metrology and rheology
-Force metrology
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-Ionizing radiation metrology
-Mass metrology
-Metric
-Optical / photometry / laser metrology
-Pressure and vacuum metrology
-Thermometry metrology
-Time and frequency metrology
-Weights and measures
Nanotechnology
-Nanobiotechnology
-Nanochemistry
-Nanoelectronics
-Nanofabrication / manufacturing
--Lithography
--Self-assembly
-Nanofluidics
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-Nanomechanics
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Neutron research
Performance excellence
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Physics
-Atomic / molecular / quantum
-Biological physics
-Condensed matter
-Electron physics
-Magnetics
-Nuclear physics
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-Quantum information science
-Radiation
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-Thermodynamics
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Public safety
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-First responder preparedness
-Law enforcement
-Public safety communications research
-Response robots
Resilience
-Community resilience
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Standards
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