The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2001. Founded in 1901 as the National Bureau of Standards, NIST has been a key player in advancing science, technology, and industry in the United States. The agency operates under the U.S. Department of Commerce and focuses on developing and applying technology, measurements, and standards in collaboration with industry. Some of NIST’s notable contributions include supporting technologies like smoke detectors, integrated circuits, highway bridges, DNA ‘fingerprints’, and computer encryption software, which underpin routine activities such as time-stamping stock trades, electrical power metering, and automated driving.
Keywords: NIST, technical contributions, infrastructure
