The National Measurement Laboratory turns 30!
In 1988, Government Chemist Alex Williams, seeing the need for improved quality of analytical measurements, initiated and launched the Valid Analytical Measurement (VAM) programme to develop a chemical measurement infrastructure in the UK.
This programme would go on to evolve into the National Measurement Laboratory for chemical and bio-measurement. The UK was one of the pioneers within the global measurement community to recognise the need to address the new and developing challenges of measurement across chemistry and biology.
That means 2018 marks the NML’s 30th birthday and kicks off our ‘Year of Measurement’. It is an opportunity to celebrate the importance of measurement science (‘metrology’) as we enjoy our 30th birthday and join the upcoming Festival of Measurement, which launches in September and lasts through May 2019.
In our thirty year history of performing measurements to support the UK, we’ve experienced a lot of growth, seen big changes in the challenges we’ve been set and made some major breakthroughs. We’ve asked (and answered) a lot of questions, like ‘What are the best methods for the detecting the adulteration of honey’ or ‘Is the computer a friend or foe?’ (The answer is ‘friend’…or ‘both’ if you’ve invested heavily in encyclopaedias.)
We’ve already outlined in a recent blog post how important accurate measurement is, affecting everything from food and drink to medicine. Accurate and precise measurement is the foundation of public health and safety. But it’s also just as important to the economy. In 2009, it was estimated that £622 billion of the UK’s total trade relied on measurement in some way, meaning that measurement plays a role in nearly every aspect of our lives.
Our Chief Scientific Officer, Derek Craston, agrees that good measurement is crucial to economies. ““In my role, I am fortunate to be able to see the major benefits that chemical and biological measurements make to the prosperity of companies and the lives of individuals across areas as broad as clinical diagnosis, drug development, environmental protection and food security. Indeed, in a global economy, with complex supply chains and regulatory frameworks, it is hard to see how many markets could function without it.”
We’re proud of the work we’ve done as the National Measurement Laboratory, where our work supports manufacture and trade, protects consumers and enhances quality of life. And over the next few months, we plan to share stories and case studies from our thirty years at the forefront of measurement with you, as well as look forward to the next thirty years.