Chairman of the Board
Mrs. Dawn Cross recently retired, from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) with 40 years of service. She had worked at the Thermometry Group since 1994. Mrs. Cross was responsible for the Industrial Thermometer Calibration Laboratory (ITCL) calibration of industrial platinum resistance thermometers, thermocouples, thermistors, digital thermometers, and organic liquid-in-glass thermometers over the range of -196 °C to 550 °C. As part of her responsibility for the ITCL, Mrs. Cross maintained the NIST quality system documentation and measurement assurance to maintain compliance with the NIST QMs and ISO/IEC 17025;2017. Mrs. Cross started being a NVLAP assessor in 2005 for NIST and 2008 for outside laboratories. NVLAP Assessor training was received from Pi Group, NVLAP, and Sensor Science Division Quality Manager.
When she was not performing calibrations, Mrs. Cross performed temperature research related to the uncertainty of industrial thermometer calibrations and finding alternatives to Hg-in-glass thermometers. Additionally, Mrs. Cross performed NIST technical assessments covering the areas of temperature (contact and non-contact), ceramics, pressure and vacuum, and fluid flow.
In order to maintain visibility and protect the interests of NIST and U.S. Industry, Mrs. Cross served on several national standards committees within ASTM E20 (Thermometry) and committees within NIST. She was the Sub-Chairman for ASTM E20.03 Resistance Thermometers, Sub-Chairman and Secretary for the ASTM E20.05 (Thermometers and Hydrometers), E20.00 Membership Secretary; and a member of ASTM D.02 Petroleum Committee. Mrs. Cross was also the Division Safety Representative and a member of the Environmental Management Services Committee.
Membership on the ASTM committees was used to help write the thermometry standards and guidance documents for U.S. industry, while the NIST positions are used to help NIST technical staff find suitable replacements for Hg-in-glass thermometers.
Mrs. Cross has taught courses at the Measurement Science Conference, March 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017and 2018 covering SPRT’s, LiG’s, PRT’s, Thermistors, Assessing Labs. She also taught many years for NCSLi at their Technical Exchange and at their conferences. For years, Mrs. Cross had taught the Thermometry Course, twice a year at NIST. She has volunteered at schools for STEM teaching; and Take Your Child to Work Day at NIST.