Laurel Volunteer Fire Department, 7411 Cherry Ln, Laurel, MD 20707, US

From automated teller machines and atomic clocks to mammograms and semiconductors, innumerable products and services rely in some way on technology, measurement and standards provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Founded in 1901, NIST is a non-regulatory federal agency within the United States Commerce Department's Technology Administration. NIST's mission is to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve the quality of life. NIST carries out its mission in four cooperative programs: the NIST Laboratories, Baldrige National Quality Program, Manufacturing Extension Partnership and Advanced Technology Program. NIST has an operating budget of about $930 million and operates in Gaithersburg, Md., and Boulder, Colo.