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Jessica Staymates (Fed)
Staff Development Specialist/Research Chemist
As the staff development specialist in MML, I focus on curating developmental opportunities for our staff and supporting formal recognition for their efforts and achievements, as well as coordinating student programs including SHIP and SURF. I value teamwork, relationships, and having/providing a sense of purpose and value at work. I am passionate about learning and empowering others, and as a trained coach, I can offer the space and curiosity for self-reflection and growth. I think together we can align our individual values with the goals of the organization so we can approach our work here at NIST with resilience and flexibility for what the future holds.
Prior to 2018, I was a research chemist in MML. As a forensic toxicologist, my research focused on the forensic aspects of explosives and narcotics detection which include microparticle analysis, trace residue collection efficiency, determining optimal collection media, and biometric fingerprint collection. Additional efforts include sampling in a cargo environment and studying emerging illicit drug trends.
Besides what I do here at NIST, I am a wife and mom, and love to bake, hike, and exercise. My family also has a creative side – whether it is music, woodworking, or painting, and we help each other with projects on the weekends.
Awards
- 2023 NIST Award for grassroots efforts to support working parents by establishing NIST-wide practices and spaces for lactating moms.
- 2017 MML Strategic Partnership Accolade for leveraging expertise from NIST and external partners to perform biomimicry studies to understand how canines sniff and improve vapor sensing technology leading to realistic suggestions that can be implemented with current technology.
- 2017 Featured Profile in the ‘Be What I Want to Be’ annual magazine (p34-35) for MD middle and high school students
- 2012 Department of Commerce and NIST Silver Medal group award for development of a national measurement and standards infrastructure to optimize and standardize trace explosive detectors for homeland security