There is much concern

today over the depletion of national
resources. Scientific and engi-
neering talent, and the insti-
tutions that focus this talent on
national problems, are more than
ever of great significance. In that
light, the Commerce Department's
National Bureau of Standards is a
resource of the first order, created
and maintained by the American
people to help set standards for
daily living.

By standards for daily living, I mean that vast, often unnoticed network of measurements and standards that enrich our daily lives. On a simple plane, consider how chaotic our affairs would be if we had no means of measuring time. In a more technical sense, the complex products of modern industry would be impossible without measurements that provide understanding of materials and control of their fabrication. Measurements also affect us in a very personal way, as when your doctor takes your blood pressure or has your cholesterol level determined.

It is our job at the National Bureau of Standards to provide the firm foundation for measurements and standards. Sometimes this involves working at the outer limits of physical science; at others, it means determining the amount of noise produced by a child's toy cap gun. No matter what the challenge, NBS applies its talents in providing standards for daily living.

Director

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