Lloyd Whitman, Assistant Director for Nanotechnology at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), addressed the Board of Directors of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) on December 3, 2014.

Dr. Whitman is serving in this role on a full-time detail from his position as Deputy Director of the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

In his remarks, Dr. Whitman indicated this administrations appreciation and enthusiasm for science and technology. For example, in President Obamas State of the Union address in February 2013, he stated, If we want to make the best products, we also have to invest in the best ideas. Now is the time to reach a level of research and development not seen since the height of the Space Race. We need to make those investments.

And, of course, standards and conformance are a critical component of those investments. In 2014, the Presidents Council of Advisors on Science and Technology released six major reports on topics ranging from advanced manufacturing and nanotechnology to healthcare systems and big data. In each report, the need for and importance of standards is emphasized.

Finally, Dr. Whitman discussed the many ways that the administration has focused on fostering U.S. innovation. According to the Strategy for American Innovation, last updated in 2011, there are three main focus areas:

1) Invest in the building blocks of American innovation, which includes the creation of a world-class workforce

2) Promote market-based innovation

3) Catalyze breakthroughs for national priorities, including nanotechnology and healthcare technology

I speak for everyone at ANSI in saying that weve truly enjoyed hosting Dr. Whitman and furthering the dialogue between the U.S. standardization community and the U.S. government on critical and innovative technology areas, concluded S. Joe Bhatia, ANSI president and CEO. Our discussions were highly productive and informative, and we look forward to future opportunities to work closely with Dr. Whitman, with OSTP, and of course, with NIST.

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White House Nanotechnology Leader Lloyd Whitman Addresses ANSI Board of Directors