The Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology (VCAT) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the agency's primary private-sector advisory group, has sent its 2010 annual report to Congress.
The report highlights NIST's unique and important role in the development and delivery of measurement services, which directly impact U.S. industry as well as federal agencies and state weights and measures offices. It also recognizes NIST's major contributions in forensic science and emphasizes the significant leadership role that NIST can play in strengthening the scientific underpinnings for forensic science. The 2010 report encourages NIST to continue improving its strategic planning efforts and augment its methods for assessing the effectiveness of its programs and organization.
The VCAT was established by Congress in 1988 to review and make recommendations on NIST's policies, organization, budget and programs to support the agency in its mission to promote and support U.S. technological innovation and industrial competitiveness. For the full text of the VCAT report, see www.nist.gov/director/vcat/upload/report10.pdf (requires PDF viewer such as Acrobat Reader).
The next NIST VCAT meeting will be held on June 7-8, 2011, in Gaithersburg, Md. VCAT meetings are open to the public. More information about the VCAT.