Tom Gentile from the Physical Measurements Laboratory is this year's recipient of the Allen V. Astin Measurement Science Award. The Astin Award, first presented in 1984, is granted for outstanding achievement in the advancement of measurement science or in the delivery of measurement services. The award consists of an engraved plaque and a $5000 honorarium.
Tom is being honored for "excellence, innovation, and leadership in polarized 3He research for applications in materials development and medical diagnostics." He is responsible for establishing NIST leadership in this measurement technology. Methods he developed for the production and stabilization of polarized 3He gas are now used routinely at the NCNR, at other US national laboratories, at medical facilities, and at many universities even though the technique is a complex multi-stage process. Here at the NCNR polarized 3He devices are now used for diffuse reflectometry, SANS, and triple-axis spectroscopy, motivating researchers from around the world to travel to NIST in order to avail themselves of these exceptional measurement capabilities.
