NIST Director Sees Key Role In Emerging Technologies

By J. Nicholas Hoover
InformationWeek
November 25, 2009

As it takes on research and standardization in the areas of healthcare IT, smart grid, and cybersecurity, the National Institute of Standards and technology has a "critically important" role to play, according to NIST's new director, Patrick Gallagher.

A 16-year NIST veteran and former deputy director, Gallagher's appointment as confirmed by the Senate earlier this month. "What you're going to see is a small parade of things that will become critically important to solving government or national problems where we'll have to tackle them," Gallagher said in an interview.

IT has become an important focus of NIST's efforts. While better known for its work in physics and science -- the agency sets official time in the United States -- NIST's IT work is every bit as significant, Gallagher says. The agency's IT Laboratory accounts for much of the institute's overall lab budget.

NIST, which was given some authority over smart grid standards in 2007, in September released a framework and road map for smart grid interoperability. NIST recently held the first meeting of the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel, which will help set standards. It's a pressing, and challenging, task given that government and private utilities are expected to spend $8.1 billion on smart grid projects over the next three years as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.