Organizational Excellence 2023

Below is a list of quick links to each of the 2023 MML Accolades for Organizational Excellence where each accolade is described and a list of the awardees and their contributions are provided.

• Excellence in MML Administration

• Excellence in MML Safety

• MML Outreach

• Service in Professional Organizations

• MML Mentor

• Service and Support to MML

Excellence in MML Administration

To recognize those in MML or at NIST who have gone above and beyond in serving MML staff, associates, and/or stakeholders in their administrative roles or through an administrative function.

Heather Blache

For outstanding support performing year-end close for the Biomolecular Measurement Division as Acting Administrative Officer.

 

 

 

 

Arden (Kathryn) Coogan 
For excellent administrative support in facilitating the MML awards process and student onboarding for the SURF program. 

 

 

 

 

 

Cynthia Giaquinto  
For outstanding support, assuming ODI administrative functions while continuing her 640 duties during a period of increased administrative needs (the post COVID return to work period). 

 

 

 

Shaswat Koirala 
For excellence in administrative support of both NIST flow cytometry standards and rapid microbial testing methods consortiums. 

 

 

 

 

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Excellence in MML Safety

To recognize, encourage, and reward safety-related leadership, innovation, preventative or corrective actions, or the implementation of best practices in MML.

Joy Dunkers, Laura Pierce, and Carl Simon

For their selfless work to support the research activities of everyone in the biomaterials group, their role in minimizing disruption during building 224 power outages and renovations, and their willingness to help whenever needed.

 

 

 

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MML Outreach

To recognize MML staff members and associates who played a significant role in educational outreach to the community.

Sara (Xiaoyu) Yang

For founding and chairing the "Mass Spectral Libraries Working Group" with the American Society for Mass Spectrometry and greatly expanding the reach and impact of NIST Mass Spectral Libraries.

 

 

 

 

 

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Service in Professional Organizations

To recognize those in MML who serve with distinction in professional organizations that further the NIST mission.

Christopher Soles 

For tireless commitment and exceptional service to the ACS PMSE Division and for being a steadfast ambassador for measurement science and technology within the PMSE community.

 

 

 

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MML Mentor

To recognize an MML staff member or associate who has played a significant role in the support and guidance of others at NIST including students and postdocs.

Matthew Connolly

For his leadership, tenacity, and support of all team members, postdocs, and students involved with the Materials Testing in Hydrogen Gas Project, which has facilitated a productive working environment while increasing the safety and measurement capabilities of the facility.

 

 

 

 

Diana Ortiz-Montalvo

For excellence in mentoring peers and postdocs both technically and professionally.

 

 

 

 

 

Laura Pierce

For excellent mentorship in guiding two MC-PREP interns. Mrs. Pierce has prepared and guided her interns to understand the complexity of their project and taught hands-on laboratory skills that could only be learned in a real-world research experience.

 

 

 

 

Yan Zhu

For the mentorship and career development of junior software developers.

 

 

 

 

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Service and Support to MML

To recognize MML staff members and associates, as well as those in other OUs, who have made MML a better place to work, have gone the extra mile to help MML staff ‘get the job done,’ or who have streamlined processes to make MML operate more efficiently.

Abhimanyu Ambastha 
For exemplary work on designing, optimizing, and developing the NIST Admin Portal web application.

 

 

 

Amanda Forster, Russell Maier, Joshua Martin, Mark McLean, Marcela Najarro, Diana Ortiz-Montalvo, Elizabeth Robinson, and Scott Wight
For developing a questionnaire for 643 Feds to survey their feelings and views towards their group/division dynamics and workplace culture, evaluating the results, and making recommendations to the management team.

 

Kim Goode*, Maisha Lewis-Ceaser, Jody Sandel
For designing high quality Contracting Officer Representative refresher training courses that directly address NIST needs and concerns.

*not pictured

 

 

 

 

Michael LaRue 
For quickly preparing and distributing laptops and YubiKeys for summer students in the SURF and SHIP programs. 

 

 

 

Nicole Tenly 

For providing exceptional Event Program Coordination to the NIST-UM joint research program at IBBR through planning and running of weekly seminars, workshops, lab tours and conferences; maintaining events virtually during the pandemic shutdown; and continued flexible support for hybrid options.