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Awards
Research and Graduate School honors severalThe fifth annual Research and Graduate School Staff Appreciation Program honored several for service and dedication. Recognition included five staff selected for special awards and service awards for years dedicated to the Research and Graduate School units. The 2003 Staff Diversity Award was presented to Peter Potter, editor-in-chief at the Penn State University Press. Potter's devotion to publishing books that promote greater inter-racial and inter-ethnic understanding especially qualified him for this award. Potter's efforts to attract minority applicants to the Press' Undergraduate Student Internship Program, supported by Equal Opportunity Planning Committee funds, contribute to creating a welcoming work unit for the students and a better campus climate. The 2003 Staff Innovation Award was awarded to the team of Mary Ann Blair, contracts coordinator, and Lorna Triche, staff assistant, in the Intellectual Property Office. This team accomplished the challenging task of creating an efficient patent recovery process. As a result, the patent reimbursement rate has increased from 49 percent to 86 percent during the past three years and communications have improved significantly between the office and licensees. Blair and Triche also are credited with reducing financial risk to the University by the timely identification of licensees that are experiencing financial difficulties. At the same time, the two work collaboratively with licensees to resolve financial problems. The Staff Leadership Award was given to Jack Gido, director of the Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program. Gido significantly increased his office program's sources and amount of funding while adding staff in new areas. The Staff Support Award went to Barbara Webb, Microcomputer Systems Consultant in the Office of Research Information Systems. When equipment or software fails, Webb remains calm and focuses on implementing a solution as quickly as practicable. She devotes a substantial amount of time to one-on-one training and education. |