Bureau International des Poids et Mesures

1. Bureau International des Poids et Mesures Using metrology & common standards to enhance competitiveness Andy Henson Director, International Liaison & Communication, BIPM

2. Brief history of the Metre Convention and the SI The BIPM is an intergovernmental organisation of 56 Member States and 34 Associate States and economies covering some 95% of world GDP The role of the BIPM is uniformity of measurementworldwide The Metre Convention and the SI • 20 May 1875 - The Metre Conventionestablished the BIPM which is a permanent organizational structure for member governments to act in common accord on all matters relating to units of measurement. • 1889- the international prototypes for the metre and the kilogram, together with the astronomical second as unit of time, create the first international system of units. • 1954 - the ampere, kelvin and candela are added as base units. • 1960 - the unit system is named as the International System of Units (SI) • 1971 - the mole is added as the unit for amount of substance, bringing the total number of base units to seven.

3. Bureau International des Poids et Mesures The BIPM It has headquarters near Paris, France. It is financed jointly by the Member States and Associates, and operates under the exclusive supervision of the CIPM. Its mandate is to provide the basis for a single, coherent system of measurements throughout the world, traceable to the International System of Units (SI). This task takes many forms, from directdissemination of units (as in the case of mass and time) to coordination through internationalcomparisons of national measurement standards (as in electricity and ionizing radiation). It maintains laboratories in areas of: mass, time, electricity,ionizing radiation, and chemistry. It has an international staff of around 75. Its budget for 2012 is around twelve million Euros.

4. Comité International des Poids et Mesures The CIPM Consultative Committees CCAUVConsultative Committee for Acoustics, Ultrasound and Vibration CCEM Consultative Committee for Electricity and Magnetism CCL Consultative Committee for Length CCM Consultative Committee for Massand Related Quantities CCPR Consultative Committee for Photometry and Radiometry CCQM Consultative Committee for Amount of Substance (Chemistry) CCRI Consultative Committee for Ionizing Radiation CCT Consultative Committee for Thermometry CCTF Consultative Committee for Time and Frequency CCU Consultative Committee for Units 4

5. BUREAU INTERNATIONAL DES POIDS ET MESURES The Pavillon de Breteuil when given to the BIPM in 1870

6. Bureau International Des Poids Et Mesures The Pavillon de Breteuil today

7. Industrial competitiveness You can publish a scientific paper without metrology but You can’t make reliable products! Article quoting "Global Funding of Nanotechnologies 2011". ...annual global nanotechnology research funding is running at $10 billion per year……that figure set to grow by 20% over the next three years. …and you probably won’t have a market without documentary standards! • Pouring billions into nanotechnology without addressing: • the underpinning metrology and • the measurement and testing methods needed to manufacture and test / characterize products documentary standards needed for functionality, interoperability conformity assessment & regulatory compliance • doesn’t make sense.

8. So what is the challenges? Timing Competing for funding with glamour topics Linkage Competition versus collaboration 8

9. Timing Metrology R&D takes time For example, in Europe (FP or EMRP) submission of an idea to contract may easily take a year...and that is before you start they research! The metrology community already issues Resolutions to identify priority R&D areas for core metrology Anticipation is a powerful tool! Think ahead, identify future metrology needs Formally state those needs – even if you don’t have the capability to respond yourself It would be very helpful if the SDOs did the same for pre normative R&D 9

10. Competing for funding with glamour topics Think about funding mechanisms R&D funding mechanisms favour “scientific excellence” Projects supporting, say the need for stable reference materials or new test methods cannot compete head to head with those claiming their breakthrough will win the next Nobel Prize or earn a billion $ Dedicated programmes or themes for pre normative and metrology R&D help ensure these activities can be supported 10

11. Linkage Researchers love to do research ....and often lose interest in the exploitation phase ....or rather lose funding! Support mechanisms beyond the R&D phase Funding agents must think about linkage/bridging mechanisms to support the post R&D resource needs for supporting documentary standards 11

12. Competition verses collaboration Europe has great mechanisms: EU Framework Programme European Metrology Research Programme ….use them! Industrial technology R&D in advanced materials and nanotechnology is highly competitive Commercial exploitation / scientific kudos Metrology & documentary standards require consensus International collaboration in metrology and pre normative R&D strongly facilitates – and accelerates - take up 12

13. Summary • Anticipate metrology & measurement and testing needs and state them authoritatively and explicitly • Ensure funding mechanisms have explicit themes for metrology/pre normative R&D • Facilitate the interface between research and documentary standards • Encourage international collaboration in metrology and pre normative R&D to facilitate/accelerate take up 13

14. Bureau International des Poids et Mesures Thank you for your attention Andy Henson Andy.henson@bipm.org