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Careers at SPO: Potential Areas of Interest
The Special Programs Office currently has three high-profile programs that span the mission and expertise of multiple NIST laboratories:
NIST's Greenhouse Gas Measurements Program supports measurement science research to improve the accuracy of measurements of greenhouse gas emissions data, both at the source and through atmospheric monitoring. High accuracy measurements are critical to effective management of emissions and to understanding their impact on atmospheric dynamics. The program funds research conducted within the NIST laboratories as well as with industrial, academic, and other federal agency partners.
The Forensic Science Program is working to strengthen forensic practice through research and improved standards. The Forensic Science Program supports the Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence (CSAFE), a NIST Center of Excellence in Forensic Science, which is working to develop new statistical methods for use in evidence examination. We also partner with researchers from Iowa State, CMU, UC Irvine, UVA, Duke, and WVU. To facilitate use of best practices, the Forensic Science Program is as well partnering with practitioners focusing on evidence management, human factors in forensic DNA interpretation, and process maps.
Overall, the Forensic Science Program focuses efforts around three key components:
- Research – developing advanced methods for analyzing DNA, biometrics, and digital evidence, as well as conducting impactful, focused statistical reviews on firearms and toolmarks, drugs and toxins, and trace evidence, among others.
- Standards - facilitating the development of technically sound standards and guidelines and encouraging their use throughout the forensic science community through the support and coordination of the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC).
- Foundational Knowledge – evaluating the reliability of forensic methods through Scientific Foundation Reviews.
The primary objective of NIST’s Open Data Program is to facilitate the development and integration of advanced data science and engineering methods across the data lifecycle in areas including data management, data sharing, data interoperability, and data analytics. Results of federally funded research are a valuable national resource and a strategic asset. Within reason, NIST promotes the deposit of scientific data and peer-reviewed scholarly publications in publicly accessible databases.