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Two NIST Chemists Honored for Gas Standards to Improve Air Quality

Franklin R. Guenther of FREDERICK, Md., and William D. Dorko of GAITHERSBURG, Md., both research chemists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, today received the institute's Edward Bennett Rosa Award.

The Rosa Award honors scientists for outstanding achievements in developing and advancing measurement standards. Guenther and Dorko are being recognized for developing gas standards necessary to implement requirements of the Clean Air Act of 1990. In response to needs of industry and the Environmental Protection Agency, Guenther and Dorko designed and implemented the NIST Traceable Reference Materials Program for gas mixtures. Through this program, NIST oversees the production and analysis of reference gas standards primarily used for stack emission testing programs. The program certifies reference gas standards produced by specialty gas companies to ensure traceability to NIST.

The Rosa Award was established in 1964 and is given annually to recognize outstanding achievements in the development of meaningful and significant standards of practice in measurements.

As a non-regulatory agency of the Commerce Department's Technology Administration, NIST promotes U.S. economic growth by working with industry to develop and apply technology, measurements and standards.

Released December 12, 1995, Updated November 27, 2017