The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has launched a new website to centralize technology transfer plans from 13 federal agencies. These plans were created in response to a 2011 presidential directive aimed at increasing the transfer of federal research results to the private sector, with the goal of boosting innovation, economic growth, and U.S. global competitiveness. Each agency has outlined specific goals and metrics to track the success of their technology transfer efforts.
NIST is also updating its own approach to technology transfer by expanding the range of activities it tracks. This includes new metrics such as software downloads, start-up companies, and postdoctoral researchers. Additionally, NIST plans to expand its Standards Committee Participation Database to better track staff involvement in private-sector standards committees. These efforts aim to improve the flow of federal research into the marketplace and support the development of new technologies and industries.
Keywords: technology transfer, consensus standards, Standard Reference Materials
