Patrick Gallagher
U.S. Department of Commerce Under Secretary and NIST Director, National Institute of Standards and Technology
U.S. Department of Commerce Under Secretary and NIST Director, National Institute of Standards and Technology
r. Patrick Gallagher was confirmed as the 14th Director of the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on Nov. 5, 2009. He also serves as Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology, a new position created in the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, signed by President Obama on Jan. 4, 2011. Gallagher provides high-level oversight and direction for NIST. The agency promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology. NIST's FY 2010 resources include $856.6 million from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-117), $49.9 million in service fees, and $101.5 million from other agencies. The agency employs about 2,900 scientists, engineers, technicians, support staff, and administrative personnel at two main locations in Gaithersburg, Md., and Boulder, Colo.