Jared Ragland (Fed)

Mr. Ragland works in the Material Measurement Laboratory (MML) Chemical Sciences Division (CSD). His research focuses on data tool development for collection, processing, reporting, and management of environmental contaminant data. His expertise includes measurement of legacy and emerging organic contaminants in environmental matrices such as sediment and biotic tissues (e.g. polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organochlorine pesticides (e.g. DDT), and flame retardants) using gas or liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, as well as foundational metrology concepts such as detection limit calculation. Jared pairs these with active interest and expertise in data management, exploratory data analysis, statistical hypothesis testing, machine learning for insights at scale, and laboratory information management systems (LIMS).

Rapid and reliable processing of data sets to ensure accuracy and precision is one of the more difficult aspects in day-to-day metrology. Automation and expert system assistance with such tasks dramatically reduces data entry errors and time-to-completion, at times by more than 90%. Reducing these aspects increases confidence in the final data product, decreases training and technology transfer barriers, and increases the efficacy of NIST scientists by letting them focus on delivering high quality metrology products underpinning national commerce and international cooperation. A variety of such tools are in use or under development, including (but not limited to):

• Database Infrastructure for Mass Spectrometry
• Process and calculation workflow assistants
  • Environmental Metrology Measurement Assistant (EMMA)
  • Isotope Dilution Assistant (IDA)
  • ICPMS Workflow
  • Automated Reporting of Environmental Statistics (ARES)
  • Freezer Check
  • Sample Entry Assistant (SEA)
• Control sample verification
  • Graphical Accuracy for SRMs
  • LipidQC
• Interactive data visualization
  • Freezer Visual Information System (FreezerVIS)

Such tools can provide a dramatic positive impact on the way NIST does quantification for environmental metrology, returning thousands of hours of staff time to the Chemical Sciences Division each year. Future tools will build on both the discrete needs of day-to-day operation and at the larger scale of laboratory information management systems.

Jared currently serves on several data related working groups and is the Chemical Sciences Division representative to the MML LIMS community of interest.

Other Publications:

• Using Procedural Blanks to Generate Analyte-Specific Limits of Detection for Persistent Organic Pollutants Based on GC-MS Analysis

MML Accolade: Technology Transfer (2024)

MML Accolade: Science Data Management and Capabilities (2023)

MML Accolade: Service to the Material Measurement Laboratory (2021)

NIST Colleagues' Choice Award (2017)

MML Accolade: Service to the Material Measurement Laboratory (2016)