Cita Furlani, the Director of the Information Technology Laboratory at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the agency’s former chief information officer, will retire next month.
The ITL is one of NIST’s major research components with a broad mission to promote American innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology through research and development in information technology, mathematics and statistics.
Furlani has led the office the past six years. Before that, she served as the agency’s CIO and as acting director of NIST’s Advanced Technology Coordination Office for Networking and Information Technology Research and Development where she reported to the White House through the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
Bio:
Cita M. Furlani is Director of the Information Technology Laboratory (ITL). ITL is one of six research Laboratories within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) with an annual budget of $120 million, 367 employees, and about 160 guest researchers from industry, universities, and foreign laboratories.
Furlani oversees a research program designed to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by developing and disseminating standards, measurements, and testing for interoperability, security, usability, and reliability of information systems, including cybersecurity standards and guidelines for Federal agencies and U.S. industry, supporting these and measurement science at NIST through fundamental and applied research in computer science, mathematics, and statistics. Through its efforts, ITL seeks to enhance productivity and public safety, facilitate trade, and improve the quality of life.
Within NIST’s traditional role as the overseer of the National Measurement System, ITL is addressing the hard problems in IT Measurement Research. ITL’s research results in metrics, tests, and tools for a wide range of subjects such as complex systems, pervasive information technologies, and virtual measurements, as well as issues of information and software quality, integrity, and usability.
ITL has been charged with leading the nation in utilizing existing and emerging IT to meet national priorities that reflect the broad-based social, economic, and political values and goals of the country. Under the Federal Information Security Management Act, ITL is charged with developing cybersecurity standards, guidelines, and associated methods and techniques. Under other legislation, such as the USA PATRIOT Act, the Help America Vote Act, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, ITL is addressing the major challenges faced by the nation in the areas of homeland security, electronic voting, and health information technology.
Furlani has served as the Acting Director of the NIST Advanced Technology Program and as Chief Information Officer for NIST. She previously served as director of the National Coordination Office for Networking and Information Technology Research and Development. This office, reporting to the White House through the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Science and Technology Council, coordinates the planning, budget, and assessment activities for the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program.
She has been awarded the Department of Commerce Silver and Bronze Medal Awards.
