Laurie E. Locascio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Laurie Locascio
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| Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology 17th Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology |
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| In office April 19, 2022 – December 31, 2024 |
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| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Walter Copan James K. Olthoff (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Charles H. Romine (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Laurie Ellen Locascio
November 21, 1961 Cumberland, Maryland, U.S. |
| Education | James Madison University (BS) University of Utah (MS) University of Maryland, Baltimore (PhD) |
| Awards | Department of Commerce Silver Medal |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Biomedical engineering Analytical chemistry |
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| Thesis | Miniaturization of Bioassays for Analytical Toxicology (1999) |
| Doctoral advisor | Cheng Lee |
Laurie Ellen Locascio (born November 21, 1961) is an American engineer and chemist. She is currently the president and CEO of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). This organization helps create important standards for products and services.
Before this, she held a very important government role. From 2022 to 2024, she was the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology. She was also the 17th director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). NIST is a government agency that works on science and technology. From 2017 to 2021, Locascio was a vice president for research at the University of Maryland.
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Early Life and Education
Laurie Locascio was born on November 21, 1961, in Cumberland, Maryland. Her father was a physicist, a scientist who studies how things work. He helped her become interested in science from a young age.
She went to Bishop Walsh High School. In 1977, she received a special certificate for her studies. She loved biology and won her school's top science award. She finished high school in 1979.
College and Early Career Steps
Locascio attended James Madison University from 1979 to 1983. There, she earned her bachelor's degree in chemistry. She also studied biochemistry. In 1982, she worked as a research assistant at West Virginia University.
She then went to the University of Utah from 1983 to 1986. She worked as a research assistant in bioengineering. Bioengineering uses engineering to solve problems in biology and medicine. She earned her master's degree in bioengineering in 1986.
From 1986 to 1999, Locascio worked at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). She was a research biomedical engineer. She received awards from the United States Department of Commerce for her work. Her managers at NIST encouraged her to get a higher degree.
From 1995 to 1999, she earned her PhD in toxicology. Toxicology is the study of how chemicals can affect living things. She studied at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Her research was about making tiny tests for analytical toxicology.
A Career in Science and Leadership
Laurie Locascio is known for her work in many different science fields. She worked at NIST for 31 years. She started as a research engineer and moved up to lead a major lab. This lab focused on measuring materials.
She also served as the acting associate director for NIST's lab programs. This meant she helped guide all the research programs. These programs were at two main locations in Maryland and Colorado.
Locascio has received many awards for her leadership in science. She published 115 scientific papers. She also holds 12 patents for her inventions. These patents are in bioengineering and analytical chemistry. She is a fellow of important science groups.
Leading Research at the University of Maryland
In late 2017, Locascio joined the University of Maryland. She was the first person to lead research for two campuses at once. These were the College Park and Baltimore campuses.
In this role, she oversaw all the research and new ideas at these universities. They received over $1 billion each year for research. She helped create big research programs that involved many different fields. She also worked on turning new ideas into useful products. This included working with businesses and government groups. She was also a professor of bioengineering. In 2021, she became a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.
Government Service and Current Role
On July 16, 2021, President Joe Biden chose Laurie Locascio for a top government job. She was nominated to be the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology. The Senate approved her on April 7, 2022.
On April 19, 2022, she officially started her new role. She was sworn in by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. She was the fourth person to hold this position. She was also the 17th director of NIST. She was the third woman to lead NIST. She left her government roles on December 31, 2024.
In January 2025, she became the president and CEO of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). In this role, she helps set important standards for many things we use every day.
