The Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology, or USC(ST), is a high-ranking official in the

United States Department of Commerce The United States Department of Commerce is an executive department of the U.S. federal government concerned with creating the conditions for economic growth and opportunity. Among its tasks are gathering economic and demographic data for bu ...

and the principal advisor to the

United States Secretary of Commerce The United States secretary of commerce (SecCom) is the head of the United States Department of Commerce. The secretary serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all matters relating to commerce. The secretary rep ...

on the technological development. The Under Secretary is dual hatted as the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology within the Commerce Department. The Under Secretary is appointed by the

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...

with the consent of the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

to serve at the pleasure of the President. The current Under Secretary is Laurie E. Locascio, who was appointed by President Joe Biden and assumed office on April 19, 2022. Locascio is a biomedical researcher, former

National Institute of Standards and Technology The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is an agency of the United States Department of Commerce whose mission is to promote American innovation and industrial competitiveness. NIST's activities are organized into physical sci ...

(NIST) official, and current Vice President for Research at two

University of Maryland The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of M ...

locations.

Overview

As the Director of NIST, the Under Secretary is responsible for promoting American innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life. With the rank of ''Under Secretary'', the USC(ST)/Director is a Level III position within the

Executive Schedule Executive Schedule () is the system of salaries given to the highest-ranked appointed officials in the executive branch of the U.S. government. The president of the United States appoints individuals to these positions, most with the advice and co ...

. The Under Secretary ranks sixth in the line of succession for the office of Secretary of Commerce.

History

The position of Under Secretary/Director was created by the

America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

, which was signed into law by President

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

in 2010. In the Electronic Commerce Technology Promotion Act, the 106th Congress created a position for Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology, appointing Dr Cheryl L. Shavers to the position.

Reporting officials

NIST officials reporting to the USC(ST)/Director include: *Associate Director for Laboratory Program/Principal Deputy *Associate Director for Innovation and Industry Services *Associate Director for Management Resources

Officeholders

References

External links