Collaborations

NIST seeks productive collaborations involving its world-class technical expertise and state-of-the-art user facilities. NIST researchers frequently collaborate informally with researchers at other organizations. These collaborations often result in joint peer-reviewed papers, short-term visits or tours of NIST laboratories, and sharing of research methods. 

NIST researchers may provide limited technical assistance of short-term duration involving a written response, a telephone call, on-site discussions, visits to a non-NIST site, or a combination of these situations. These non-reimbursable services should not impede the accomplishment of NIST objectives and may benefit and support NIST's mission. Such services are part of regular staff duties and subject to management approval.

More extensive collaborations include:

Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) - allow NIST to partner with U.S. companies, academia, and other organizations on joint research and development projects. CRADAs provide flexibility in structuring project contributions and intellectual property rights, and in protecting collaborative research results. NIST regularly organizes research consortia on topics of interest to multiple organizations or industry sectors.

Guest Researchers - at NIST are technically qualified individuals from universities, companies, or other organizations who work onsite with NIST staff on projects of mutual interest for periods ranging from a few months to several years. Research results produced by guest researchers at NIST are shared with the public. Guest researchers (or their home institutions) retain rights to inventions conceived while at NIST.

Designated User Facilities - are unique and valuable laboratory facilities available for use by organizations for both proprietary and non-proprietary research.