NIST Tech Beat | August 2023

NIST to Standardize Encryption Algorithms That Can Resist Attack by Quantum Computers

Three new algorithms, now in draft form, are expected to be ready for use in 2024, with others to follow. Read more about the chosen algorithms.

Researchers Fully Sequence the Y Chromosome for the First Time

What was once the final frontier of the human genome — the Y chromosome — has just been mapped out in its entirety. Read more about this chromosome mapping milestone.

NIST Drafts Major Update to Its Widely Used Cybersecurity Framework

NIST has revised the framework to help benefit all sectors, not just critical infrastructure, and added new features such as a governance function. Read more about the draft cybersecurity update.

NIST Issues New Guidance for Emergency Response During Wildfires

Lessons learned from the 2018 Camp Fire in California include strategies for protecting lives when there is not enough time to safely evacuate all residents. Read more about the new wildfire safety recommendations.

My Lab Helps People Breathe Easier All Over the World

NIST’s Peter Trask explains how his work on the Standard Reference Photometer helps agencies in dozens of countries measure pollution levels. Read more about ozone measurements at NIST.

Former NIST Director Lewis Branscomb Connected the Curiosity of Scientists With the Needs of the Nation

Described as "one of the fathers of publicly funded research in the U.S.,” Branscomb died in May at 96 years old. Read more about Branscomb's legacy.

A Summer of Science: NIST Interns' Stories of Their Time in the Lab

From measuring UV light to working on virtual reality software, a summer at NIST is not your average internship. Read more about interns' experiences at NIST.

Measuring Ozone Across Generations

When Jim Norris came to NIST in the late 1970s as a student, he never imagined that he would spend his career here building specialized instruments to measure ground-level ozone all over the planet. With retirement looming, it’s time to pass his knowledge to the next builder, Peter Trask.