"The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy's purposes of further knowledge and advising the federal government. The Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities." -[3](https://history.aip.org/phn/21511003.html) "The purpose of the National Research Council is to help improve public policy, understanding, and education in matters of science, technology, and health. To accomplish this purpose, the Council promotes the increase and dissemination of knowledge in the natural and social sciences, mathematics, engineering and medicine, and the use of this knowledge to benefit the public welfare. To this end, and under policies established by the National Academy of Sciences, in consultation with the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine which have been organized under the corporate charter of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Research Council shall be the principal operating agency of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the National Academy of Medicine for service in the national interest and for furnishing scientific and technical advice to governmental and other organizations." -[2](https://web.archive.org/web/20160519172226/http://www.nationalacademies.org/nrc/na_070358.html) "The Council of the National Academy of Sciences, under the authority conferred upon the Academy by its charter enacted by Congress and approved by President Lincoln on March 3, 1863, and reenacted as Sections 150301 through 150304 of Title 36, United States Code, and pursuant to the request expressed in Executive Order No. 2859 of May 11, 1918, as amended by Executive Order No. 10668 of May 10, 1956, and by Executive Order No. 12832 of January 19, 1993, and under the authority conferred upon the Council of the National Academy of Sciences by the Academy's Bylaws, hereby adopts the following amended Articles of Organization for the National Research Council (NRC), effective July 1, 2015, superseding the previously amended Articles of Organization dated June 15, 2007." -[2](https://web.archive.org/web/20160519172226/http://www.nationalacademies.org/nrc/na_070358.html) "Since 1959, the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) National Research Council (NRC) has assessed the technical merit, relevance, and quality of NIST's (previously NBS's) laboratory programs in the context of NIST's mission. The NASEM review is independent, technically sophisticated, and extensive. Panel members are selected by the NASEM NRC from leaders in industry, academia, non-profit organizations and other federal agencies and government laboratories. The assessments focus on NIST-wide ongoing needs and activities." -[1](https://www.nist.gov/director/national-academies-national-research-council) **Timeline:** - "*June 19, 1916* - National Research Council was formed at the request of President Wilson within the National Academy of Sciences to recruit specialists from the scientific communities to give scientific advice, Washington (D.C.). - *May 11, 1918* - President Wilson formalized the National Research Council's existence in executive order 2859." -[3](https://history.aip.org/phn/21511003.html)