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NEWS RELEASE FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Friday, November 6, 2009
FOR MORE INFORMATION,
CONTACT DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
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SENATE CONFIRMS DR. PATRICK GALLAGHER AS 14TH NIST DIRECTOR
WASHINGTON-The U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Patrick D. Gallagher by unanimous
consent last evening as the 14th director of the U.S. Commerce Department's
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Gallagher has worked
at NIST since 1993 as a scientist and as a laboratory director. He has
carried out the functions of the director in his current position as deputy
director since September 2008. President Obama nominated Gallagher, 46, to
his new post on September 10, 2009.
"NIST is a unique agency with a strong culture of world-class scientific
achievement and is critically important to the nation's ability to innovate
and create jobs. Dr. Gallagher is a top-notch scientist, administrator, and
proven leader," U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said. "We expect him to
continue his capable stewardship of NIST as we tackle complex problems like
cyber security, developing an interoperable 'smart' energy grid,
standardizing electronic health records and advancing the manufacturing
sector."
"I am humbled and honored to serve as the next Director of NIST," Gallagher
said. "NIST is at an important juncture in its history. We have a
world-class workforce, state-of-the-art research facilities, and the
opportunity to make a real difference helping find practical, innovative
solutions to some of the nation's toughest technical challenges."
Gallagher has a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Pittsburgh. He
taught high-school math and science for a year after receiving his B.A. in
physics and philosophy from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas.
Gallagher came to the NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) in 1993 to
pursue research in neutron and X-ray instrumentation, and accompanying
studies of the properties of technologically important "soft" materials such
as polymers, liquids and gels.
In 2000, Gallagher was a NIST agency representative for the White House
National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) and became active in U.S.
policy for scientific user facilities. At the Office of Science and
Technology Policy, he served as chair of the Interagency Working Group on
neutron and light source facilities.
In 2006, he was awarded a Department of Commerce Gold Medal, the
department's highest award, in recognition of this work. In 2004, he became
director of the NCNR, a national user facility for neutron research that is
one of the most heavily used facilities of its type in the nation.
A native of Albuquerque, N.M., Gallagher lives with his wife and three sons
in Gaithersburg, Md.
Founded in 1901, NIST is a nonregulatory agency of the Commerce Department
that promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing
measurement science, standards and technology in ways that enhance economic
security and improve our quality of life.
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Note: An image of Dr. Gallagher is available at
http://patapsco.nist.gov/imagegallery//details.cfm?imageid=698
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