NIST gets new director at a critical time for the agency

Patrick Gallagher, confirmed last month as director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, believes the agency he is taking over has become an economic enabler for a nation increasingly dependent on information technology and the ability to securely share and use information. "I find NIST to be at a critical juncture right now," Gallagher said. "It is 108 years old with a more important mission than ever: Ensuring trust in the exchange of data." For evidence, Gallagher points to the growth of cybersecurity as a high profile issue during the past decade and it has become a primary concern of NIST's largest laboratory. New projects such as Smart Grid technology and health IT also have become priorities for sustainable economic development. Gallagher said this type of rapid development of technical capabilities will become more common as we increasingly depend on science and technology to solve our problems.