National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

The “forever chemicals” known as PFAS are commonly used in firefighters’ protective gear to repel moisture. But these long-lived compounds have also been linked to an increased risk of cancer. Measuring the presence of these chemicals is the first step in reducing any potential impacts.    NIST researchers have been conducting a series of studies to understand how much PFAS is present in firefighter gear. Their latest study looks at the hoods and gloves worn by structural firefighters (firefighters who work in buildings) as well as the lightweight clothes worn by wildland firefighters.     Overall, they found measurable amounts of PFAS in 25 of the 32 textile samples they examined. Some textile layers didn’t contain much PFAS at all while others contained a relatively large amount.  Learn more about the new study: https://lnkd.in/eKJVR8nm   #Firefighters #PFAS #HealthAndSafety

Plug it in: Meet the first commercially built broadcast radio receiver that operated with alternating current (AC) delivered by the power grid (at 60 hertz).    In the early years of radio broadcasting, radio receivers were powered exclusively by batteries. The periodic need to change the batteries was inconvenient, to say the least. Batteries at that time were bulky, heavy, cumbersome and an acid-filled source of danger and damage in a household.    In the 1920s, NIST researchers showed that receivers could use household 110-volt AC without sacrificing performance quality. Using AC household current to power radio sets was much safer and more convenient for the consumer, which helped to expand radio ownership and propel the growth of the radio and broadcasting industries.    #History #Radio #Invention 

Freeze! Check out our latest roundup of position openings at NIST:    Electronics Engineer: https://lnkd.in/eF5eeffc    Maintenance Worker: https://lnkd.in/e-cwW2fr    Firefighter: https://lnkd.in/ev8DFFQ7    Mechanical Engineer: https://lnkd.in/g85Aii7q    Air Conditioning Engineer: https://lnkd.in/gbFDziCT    Browse our full listing of current openings at NIST: https://lnkd.in/d6KBevq    #NISTjob #JobOpening #JobOpportunities   

Looking for your next career move? How about NIST?     From physicists and engineers to IT specialists, electricians, and administrative staff, every role is vital to our success.     See what opportunities with NIST Careers could be in your future: https://lnkd.in/dFvqX6y   #NISTjob #NISTCareers #Careers 

This is not the festive feel you want in your home during the holiday season. If you have a Christmas tree, keep it well watered.    #Fire #FireSafety #Holidays #Christmas 

Monday was Grace Hopper’s birthday.  Tuesday was Ada Lovelace’s birthday.    This week gives us the opportunity to celebrate a number of influential women in the history of technology. One from NIST proved to be a powerhouse in her career and beyond.    Ethel Marden served as a programmer for one of the first internally programmed digital computers in the U.S., the Standards Eastern Automatic Computer (SEAC).     The connection to SEAC itself is noteworthy. For 13 years, SEAC was a valuable tool used by various government agencies to do everything from accounting to checking calculations for the hydrogen bomb. The digital scanner designed by one of Ethel’s colleagues for the computer ultimately was used to create the world’s first digital image.    Beyond her work, Ethel lived a life that many might dream of. She set a world record for scuba diving, crossed the Atlantic with her husband in a sailboat, and was an airplane pilot.    Learn more about this pioneer of NIST’s past: https://lnkd.in/gypHrzXW   #CSEdWeek #History #WomenInTech #ComputerScience #Technology 

There are lots of molecular ions in the vast interstellar gas clouds where stars are born, but we know very little about them. That’s because it has been difficult to get undisturbed glimpses of them in a laboratory.      But there are molecular ions here on Earth that our researchers are working to study more closely and efficiently – in hopes of seeing what we can learn about molecules that were present during the formation of the stars.      Our researchers are hoping to unlock some celestial mysteries. Learn more in our latest Taking Measure blog post: https://lnkd.in/eGKBSjyE    #Physics #Quantum #Astronomy 

This year's Nobel Prize winners may have been announced back in October, but today is the day that they will actually receive their medals at ceremonies in Stockholm.    If you’re having FOMO, click on over to NIST’s site highlighting our Nobel winners. You just might find videos of our past Laureates receiving their medals, and learn things about their lives and work that you may not have previously known. https://lnkd.in/dNz97y7   #NobelPrize #ScienceAndTechnology 

Rear Admiral Grace Hopper helped create the computer as we know it today.    In an era when computers were used only by experts, Hopper worked on computer languages that could operate using words, not just numbers. Her work helped pave the way for computers to be used in business and, eventually, for personal use. As Hopper was one of the most important people in the history of computer science, we honor her legacy.    Today would’ve been Hopper’s 118th birthday. Read two NIST researchers’ thoughts on Hopper’s life and legacy in a Taking Measure blog post: https://lnkd.in/gnqwDdVa    #CSEdWeek #WomenInTech #History #ComputerScience #Technology 

Set sail for a new adventure. Check out our latest roundup of position openings at NIST:    Supervisory Facility Operations Specialist: https://lnkd.in/epSVkuH7  Physicist: https://lnkd.in/e8aGe6m2  Physical Scientist: https://lnkd.in/edrSkeVJ  Maintenance Worker: https://lnkd.in/e-cwW2fr  Firefighter: https://lnkd.in/ev8DFFQ7  Senior Advisor for Transaction Risk: https://lnkd.in/euH7j52q    Browse our full listing of current openings at NIST: https://lnkd.in/d6KBevq    #NISTjob #JobOpening #JobOpportunities