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Tara Fortier (Fed)
Physicist/Project Leader
Dr. Tara Fortier is a Project Leader in the Time and Frequency Division at NIST, where she oversees cutting-edge research in precision optical and microwave metrology and laser source development. Her work focuses on leveraging phase-stabilized mode-locked lasers to generate ultra-stable optical and microwave signals from atomic and optical references.
Dr. Fortier's research directly supports the mission of the Time and Frequency Division by enabling the atomic calibration of NIST’s microwave timescale, synthesizing and disseminating low-noise, agile microwave signals, and contributing secondary time standards to International Atomic Time (TAI). Her group also plays a pivotal role in atomic clock comparisons, which underpin international efforts to redefine the SI second based on optical atomic time. These comparisons further expand the frontiers of fundamental physics by testing local position invariance, probing the time variation of fundamental constants, and constraining the interaction of ultra-light dark matter with ordinary matter through the fine-structure constant.
In addition to her research, Dr. Fortier actively contributes to the scientific community as a Fellow of the Optical Society of America and the American Physical Society (APS). She serves on the Executive Board of the APS Division of Laser Science, the APL Photonics Journal of the American Institute of Physics, and is NIST’s representative to the Interagency Working Group on Quantum Workforce Development (under the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy). Finally, Dr. Fortier is deeply committed to broadening participation in science through education, outreach, and active participation at NIST, international conferences, and professional societies.
NIST blogs and News Stories
- Think You Know What a Second Is? It Will Likely Change in the Next Decade (2023)
- Demystifying Quantum: It’s Here, There and Everywhere (2024)
- Physics world podcast: “Atomic clocks put Einstein and the Standard Model to the test” (2024)
- NOVA- Decoding the universe: quantum (2024)
- VAMOS- Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics Seminar (2022)
Research Appointments
- 2019-present: Project Leader, NIST Time & Frequency Division.
- 2018 – present: Graduate Faculty, University of Colorado.
- 2006-2019: Physicist, NIST/Dep. of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder.
- 2006-2004: Postdoctoral Director’s Fellow, NIST, Boulder/LANL.
- 1998-2003: Research Assistant, JILA/Dept. of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder.
- Spring 1998: Research assistant, NRC Ottawa, Canada: Ultrafast Phenomena Group.
- Summer 1997: Research assistant, NRC Ottawa, Canada: Molecular Interface Group.
- Fall 1996: Research assistant, NRC Ottawa, Canada: Optoelectronics Group.
- Summer 1995: Research Assistant, Canadian Space Agency, Varennes Quebec. LIDAR group.
- Summer 1994: Research Assistant, Hydro Quebec, Varennes Quebec. Cables Group.
Guest Researcher Appointments
- 09/2024 – 09/2025 – Secondee at the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures
- 05/2016-08/2015: National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, United Kingdom
- 08/2006-11/2006: University of Western Australia, Perth Australia
Scientific/programmatic output
Patents:
- U.S. Patent Application serial number 14/872,078 for “SIGNAL GENERATOR, PROCESS FOR MAKING AND USING SAME”, patent granted
Book Chapters:
- T.M. Fortier, D.J. Jones, J. Ye and S. T. Cundiff, “Phase stabilization of modelocked lasers,” Ultrafast Optics, Springer Verlag
- D.J. Jones, S.T. Cundiff, T.M. Fortier, J.L. Hall, and J.Ye, "Carrier-Envelope Phase Stabilization of Single and Multiple Femtosecond Lasers," Few-Cycle Pulse Generation and Applications, F.X. Kärtner Ed., Springer Verlag
Programmatic Documents/Reports:
- Report: “QUANTUM INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT NATIONAL STRATEGIC PLAN” released Feb 1, 2022
Awards
- NIST Colleague’s Choice Award 2024
- SPIE Harold E. Edgerton Award in High-Speed Optics 2023
- American Physical Society Fellow 2022
- Department of Commerce Bronze Medal 2021
- NIST-PML Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award 2021
- NIST Diversity, Inclusivity and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Award 2021
- Optical Society of America Fellow 2021
- NIST Outstanding Associate Award 2019 (NIST Associate contributor to the Department of Commerce Gold Medal)
- NIST Outstanding Associate Award 2017
- Outstanding Paper from IEEE Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control Society 2014
- Young Scientist Award - European Frequency and Time Forum 2008
- Postdoctoral Director’s Fellowship - Los Alamos National Labs 2004
- NSERC Postgraduate Fellowship A 2000
- NSERC Postgraduate Fellowship B 1998
- Entrance Fellowship, University of Colorado at Boulder 1998
- Walter Roudorf Medal for most outstanding graduate in Physics - Concordia University 1998
