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 expert in biomedical engineering and analytical chemistry. 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 was a top leader in the U.S. government. From 2022 to 2024, she served as the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the 17th director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). NIST is a government agency that helps with science and technology standards. From 2017 to 2021, Locascio was also a vice president for research at the University of Maryland, College Park and University of Maryland, Baltimore.
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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 and graduated in 1979. Laurie was very interested in biology and even won her school's senior science award.
College and Early Career Steps
From 1979 to 1983, Laurie attended James Madison University. She earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry with a focus on 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. There, she was a research assistant in bioengineering. She completed her master's degree in bioengineering in 1986.
Working at NIST and Getting Her PhD
From 1986 to 1999, Locascio worked at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). She was a research biomedical engineer. She received several awards from the United States Department of Commerce during this time.
While working at NIST, her managers encouraged her to get a doctoral degree. From 1995 to 1999, she earned her Ph.D. in toxicology from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Her big research paper for her Ph.D. was about making bioassays (tests for biological substances) very small.
Career Highlights
Laurie Locascio is known for her work in many different science areas. She worked at NIST for 31 years. She started as a research engineer and eventually led the agency's materials measurement lab. She also helped guide NIST's research programs across its campuses in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and Boulder, Colorado.
She has received many awards for her leadership in science. She has also written 115 scientific papers and holds 12 patents. Patents protect new inventions. She is also an honored member of the American Chemical Society and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.
Leadership at the University of Maryland
In late 2017, Locascio joined the University of Maryland. She was the first person to lead research for both the College Park and Baltimore campuses. In this role, she oversaw all the research and new ideas at these two universities. They received over $1 billion each year for research.
She helped create large research programs that involved many different science fields. She also worked on turning new ideas into useful products and creating partnerships with companies and government groups. In 2021, she was honored as a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.
Government Service
On July 16, 2021, President Joe Biden chose Laurie Locascio for an important government job. She was nominated to be the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology. The Senate approved her nomination on April 7, 2022.
On April 19, 2022, she officially started her new role. She was the fourth Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the 17th director of NIST. She was also the third woman to lead NIST. She left her government positions on December 31, 2024.
Current Role
In January 2025, Laurie Locascio became the president and CEO of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). This organization helps set important standards for many things we use every day.
