Heather Benko is senior manager of nanotechnology standardization activities in the Accreditation Services Department at the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Her work includes administration of the ANSI-accredited U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee (TC) 229, Nanotechnologies, and secretariat services for the ISO/TC 229 Working Group (WG) on Health, Safety, and Environment. In addition, Ms. Benko provides staff support to the ANSI Nanotechnology Standards Panel (ANSI-NSP).
ISO/TC 229 is an international committee working to develop standards that support the nanotechnology industry, specifically in the areas of terminology, nomenclature, measurement, instrumentation, and health, safety, and the environment. The ANSI-accredited U.S. TAG to ISO/TC 229 formulates positions and proposals on behalf of the United States in response to ISO standardization activities. It also provides the delegates and experts who represent the United States at meetings of the respective ISO technical committees, subcommittees, and working groups.
ANSI-NSP serves as the cross-sector coordinating body for facilitating the development of standards in the area of nanotechnology, including terminology and nomenclature; materials properties; and testing, measurement, and characterization procedures.
Ms. Benko joined the ANSI staff in 2003. She received her BA degree from Denison University in Granville, Ohio, and her MTS degree from the Divinity School at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.
ANSI is a not-for-profit membership organization that brings together organizations from both the private and public sectors dedicated to furthering U.S. and international voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessments. ANSI accredits national standards developing organizations and approves American National Standards. It is the sole U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), via the U.S. National Committee.