Last modified: Wednesday, March 31, 2010
McRobbie joins NIST advisory group
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2010
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie has been appointed to serve on the primary private-sector policy advisory group for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a non-regulatory federal technology agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce that promotes national innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards and technology.
McRobbie will begin serving a three-year term on the Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology (VCAT) on April 1. He is one of three new committee members, bringing the body's number to 13.
"NIST is playing a vibrant role in revitalizing the nation's research infrastructure, developing critically important areas such as health care information technology, improving the security of our computer networks and establishing new technologies, standards and services that support U.S. economic growth," McRobbie said. "These are all areas in which, I can proudly say, Indiana University has taken a leadership role in recent years. I am truly honored by this selection and look forward to the opportunity to work with such distinguished individuals, including renowned computer scientist Vinton Cerf and my fellow new appointees, to strengthen the nation's competitiveness in a 21st-century economy."
An active researcher in computer science and logic, McRobbie played a major role in the creation of the IU School of Informatics and Computing and initiated the development of the university's Information Technology Strategic Plan, which is now considered a model for institutions across the nation. He also has played a leading role in major research projects in high performance computing and high-speed networking nationally and internationally.
McRobbie will be joined on the VCAT by newly appointed members Shaygan Kheradpir, executive vice president and chief information officer for Verizon Communications, and Sujeet Chand, senior vice president and chief technology officer of Rockwell Automation.
The VCAT was established by Congress in 1988 to review and make recommendations on NIST's policies, organization, budget and programs. The committee is chaired by Vinton Cerf, vice president and chief Internet evangelist for Google, who is routinely referred to as "the father of the Internet." Alan Taub, vice president for global research and development at General Motors, serves as vice chair.
Founded in 1901, NIST operates in two main locations: Gaithersburg, Md., and Boulder, Colo. It employs about 2,900 scientists, engineers, technicians and support and administrative personnel. Additionally, NIST hosts about 2,600 associates and facility users from academia, industry and other government agencies and partners with 1,600 manufacturing specialists and staff around the country.
