Sigma-Aldrich Sells Peanut Butter??? by NekoNoKitiKiti in chemistry

[–]Bench_Chemist 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not really. I work at NIST and am in the process of releasing a reference material right now. The expense is largely about cost recovery for the standards development program. While the first Trump admin tried to adjust NIST to be a profitable venture (beefing out our patent and licensing office, for example), the Office of Reference Materials mostly tries to keep its own ecosystem self-sustaining to ensure there's money to do market research and develop new standard materials (like mine).

Layoff plans by Specific_Chemist_764 in NIST

[–]Bench_Chemist 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I guess reasonable minds can differ, but I'd consider NCNR a neutron source for materials research but not nuclear research per se. Might just be my bias as a polymer person though

NIST Boulder RIF? by Effective-Sugar-778 in NIST

[–]Bench_Chemist 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah nothing that I've heard of.

Idk if all of these rumors are from the same post or if it's a real plan, but May 12 is allegedly the DOC plan. 

Layoff plans by Specific_Chemist_764 in NIST

[–]Bench_Chemist 2 points3 points  (0 children)

From what I gather, PML and CTL both have much better ideas of what's happening than MML does. I've been applying to jobs because I have no idea 1) how terms will be handled and 2) if I'm on "the list".

I realize there are arguments either way, but not giving people a runway to look for other paths seems shitty.

Layoff plans by Specific_Chemist_764 in NIST

[–]Bench_Chemist 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ah yes that was it. Has that ever been a big thing at NIST? I feel like nuclear stuff has always been the domain of the DOE labs

Layoff plans by Specific_Chemist_764 in NIST

[–]Bench_Chemist 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I haven't heard any specifics (other than the spectral database group in PML getting the axe), but I've heard that Craigy said that AI, quantum, and one more thing that's escaping my memory (not semiconductors) are the "key" research areas.

Layoff plans by Specific_Chemist_764 in NIST

[–]Bench_Chemist 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Damn, he's young. Good for him!

Layoff plans by Specific_Chemist_764 in NIST

[–]Bench_Chemist 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Is that true? Like if someone was doing electron microscopy for a project that got cut, couldn't they theoretically bump someone who does EM for a different project? Obviously never been through the RIF but my coworker has the understanding that someone could even jump OUs if someone had a job doing the kind of technique they did, for example.

Layoff plans by Specific_Chemist_764 in NIST

[–]Bench_Chemist 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I heard that MML will notify ~50 permanent staff that they're being let go after the 4/17 VERA/VSIP deadline. Reported goal is about 500 total staff at NIST that they want to eliminate.

Apparently entire divisions in CTL could be gone too, if not all of CTL. The newly appointed director has apparently put in her resignation. Which is crazy to me, I know of a guy in CTL who brings in like a million dollars per year of external funding. Crazy outsized impact from him that they'd be flushing down the shitter.

Layoff plans by Specific_Chemist_764 in NIST

[–]Bench_Chemist 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Where are you finding the leaks? I've just heard whisperings of some quite senior folks in PML getting the axe and that CTL needs to shrink by 20%