Testimonials for the 2005 Infinite Mile Award Winners

Benjamin Brophy, User Interface Designer, Academic Media Production Services: As a member of AMPS, Ben has shown leadership, technical excellence, and the ability to develop sustainable relationships with clients. • Ben has been a stellar employee, not only in how he does his work technically, but also in being a team player, helping out when needed, and taking on additional responsibilities. • Beneath Ben's quiet demeanor lies intense commitment and competence. He has gone out of his way to help make it easier for faculty and students at MIT to use educational technology in support of the teaching-learning process. His professional growth over the years exemplifies one of MIT's core values, that of being a true meritocracy.

Windy Chan, Assistant Animal Technician, Division of Comparative Medicine: As the technician in charge of taking care of the mice I use in our research, her performance is critical to our experiments. • She consistently anticipates my needs. • She saves us time and money by helping us be efficient; she is one of the best communicators in DCM. • All of these things greatly increase our efficiency, and allow us to make better use of our time.

Fionnuala Coary, Financial Assistant, Administrative Services Organization: She is superb in handling her demanding and difficult job on accounting and other tasks. • We have many students, postdocs, research scientists, and visiting scientists in the lab. Many of them are from foreign countries. Without her, many of us would get lost completely and would be unable to concentrate on our cutting-edge research. She certainly plays a pivotal role in advancing our research program. • Fionnuala has a strong work ethic, is self-motivated and reliable, and handles an intense volume of work without complaint. • The past year has been a difficult one for Fionnuala. We had a long period without a Fiscal Officer prior to the hiring of her current supervisor.. She is truly an unsung hero.

Bernd Comjean, Fiscal Officer, Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences & Technology: Bernd is one of those amazing people who can deal with detail and the big picture, who can remain calm and appropriately deliberate in the face of overwhelming demands on his time, and whose actions reflect a thoughtful consideration of the individuals and organizations affected. Bernd has these attributes in abundance and has consistently put them to practice in an incredibly complex environment. In going miles beyond the specific job requirements, Bernd is a terrific role model and ambassador for HST and the Institute. • Bernd is an outstanding individual who consistently goes "the infinite mile" to provide excellent service to faculty, staff, and students at all levels of financial operations.

Kevin Dudevoir, Research Engineer, Haystack Observatory: Research Engineer Kevin Dudevoir is one of those people that you wish you had a dozen of-hardworking, creative, knowledgeable, helpful, friendly and dedicated. For 15 years, Kevin has been deeply involved in some of the most complex and challenging projects undertaken at Haystack . while at the same time mentoring others, patiently answering questions, and acting as role model for younger staff. • In the last couple of years, much focus has been placed on moving high-speed astronomy data over global high-speed networks. • Partly as a result of Kevin's efforts, Haystack is also a recognized world leader in this important technological arena.

David Erlandson, Director of Facilities, The Broad Institute: It has been a year of massive facilities planning and construction for the Broad.all of this planning and construction work is in addition to the other major portion of his job. • He has worked tirelessly for the whole year on these projects, arriving early and staying late consistently. And he has done it with endless good humor, infectious enthusiasm, and an utterly positive perspective. • He has earned the confidence and respect of all of our contractors, Institute partners, and researchers. • David is a major contributor to the positive morale at the Broad.

Dorothy Fleischer & Donna Gale, Administrative Assistants, Research Laboratory of Electronics: Dorothy and Donna have extensive experience and an appreciation of the operations and culture of MIT. They've reorganized and refined our administrative structure, enabling us to better manage our group of over 40 visiting scientists, postdocs, and graduate students. • They have outstanding administrative instincts and have helped us solve many complex problems as well as to improve our group's efficiency and effectiveness. • Dorothy and Donna organize group activities and events, making sure that student accomplishments are properly celebrated and that visitors feel welcome. • They know where to go and how to get things done around the Institute.

John P. Foster, Assistant Reactor Superintendent, Nuclear Reactor Laboratory: I've never met anyone with a more impeccable sense of integrity, both professionally and personally. • John's compassion is just as evident in his integrity. • In a more strictly professional sense, John is a top performer.no one at NRL can say enough of his management of the lab's silicon irradiation program. • He constantly strives to learn down to the smallest detail the technical and scientific underpinnings of the reactor. • John is consistently devoted and dedicated to the goals of the lab.to make a difference for the NRL and MIT as a whole.

William Gibbs, Maintenance Mechanic "B," Research Laboratory of Electronics: His professionalism, dedication to the Laboratory, willingness to undertake complex tasks, and positive service-oriented attitude are exemplary. • In addition to his skills, Bill has an outstanding work ethic, and he has earned rave reviews and the confidence of a very discerning audience, the RLE faculty, which is no small feat. His commitment and tireless efforts supporting our facility have had a positive impact on the entire RLE community.

Doug Harrison, Facilities Manager, Haystack Observatory: Doug has instilled the idea of teamwork in his workers. • As Facilities Manager, Doug's work quietly touches everyone's life every day. He makes Haystack a comfortable place to work, and does so in a friendly, efficient manner. The pay-off is not just one of dollars or time.but also one of satisfied employees. Doug's commitment and accomplishments are worthy of special recognition.

Ching-Neu Lue, Research Engineer, Haystack Observatory: Underpinning all our activities is the selfless, dedicated computer support we receive from Ms. Ching-Neu Lue, who for nearly 20 years has managed our local systems and has kept our Group smiling and productive. • Because of Ching's efforts our computer systems work smoothly, our data is never lost, and anyone in the group with a computer problem gets an individually tailored solution. • Ching is a real team player. She provides a perfect example of an employee who sincerely believes that the efficiency of the Group supercedes her personal convenience. She makes every effort to provide the best possible support for our computer needs. Every day, every week, every year she goes the extra mile to make this happen.

Kristine Marzilli, Financial Assistant, Technology Licensing Office: Kristine is always looking at her position with an eye toward improving and streamlining processes. She used this skill to make particularly significant contributions to the development of our Forrester system. The efficiencies that Kristine designed have been a rousing success. • Kristine does an outstanding job in creating and maintaining.excellent relationships both inside and outside the Technology Licensing Office. Particularly noteworthy are the excellent relationships she has with our licensees due to her professionalism and focus on customer service. These relationships are vital to the success of the TLO. • She is a role model of enthusiasm, professionalism and dedication for those who have the benefit of working with her. • Kristine is an asset to the Institute.

Tricia Mulcahy, Administrative Assistant, Research Laboratory of Electronics: Tricia's responsibilities are quite diverse. • She is highly professional, efficient, and well organized. And she approaches her job with particular conscientiousness and flexibility. But perhaps most important is her collegiality and ability to work effectively with others. • Quick to help new students get settled in the laboratory, eager to plan social events as part of developing a close-knit group culture, and always available to volunteer to help organize department functions, Tricia is continually finding a way to make a difference in her environment. • It is people like Tricia who make MIT such a special place. The combination of her commitment to MIT, and the role model she provides makes her especially valuable.

Marsha Orent, Project Administrator, Office of the Provost/Teacher Education Program: In the year that Marsha has been working with me on the program, she has transformed the pre-service teacher-training component from an ad hoc connection of schools to a well-organized and professional network of participating schools, teachers and students. • As a result of better placements and the communication that Marsha provides she has strengthened our relationship with area schools and teachers, which will likely pay great dividends when we place students again next fall. • She has also helped create and organize a new committee that provides, for the first time, a network and infrastructure for MIT/K-12 initiatives.. • Marsha's success over the last year has been due not only to her great commitment to her job, but her commitment to seeing MIT contribute to K-12 education and the community at large. It is this spirit of wholehearted dedication that makes Marsha particularly worthy of this honor.

David Terry, Chief Electrical Engineer, Plasma Science & Fusion Center: During his years on the Alcator Project he has always worked with extreme diligence to complete what have been very difficult missions.. He has always led by example, not only working very hard, but also producing only the highest quality instrumentation. • Through his hard work and because of his high standards David has consistently had a large impact on the Alcator mission. • He showed an amazing ability to do the hard work and organize all the details while working very effectively with his co-workers. • He presses those under him towards excellence, but never requires more sacrifice from them than from himself. It is this kind of drive towards excellence, in my view, that has made CMOD a world-class experiment, and MIT a world-class institution.

Thomas White, Videographer, Academic Media Production Services: Tom's role as Videographer for MIT Video for the past 8 years is notable for his professionalism, competence and reliability as well as his considerable video output on display throughout the Institute and around the world. His video work captures the essence of MIT and reflects the best qualities of this great institution. • Whether Tom is shooting a classroom presentation or a broadcast video news release, he commits his expertise and considerable skills as a camera operator to each project. • Tom leads by his example of hard work and commitment. • Another invaluable aspect of Tom White is his dedication to the job. • I am truly reliant on Tom for all that he does for MIT Video.for his continuous and outstanding service to MIT.

Lucy Wilhelm, Administrative Assistant, Division of Comparative Medicine: Lucy's workload is daunting with what seems to be a never ending flow of paperwork.. All must be available for use in computer generated presentations and printouts.. She translates their vision and materials using her artistic expertise and good judgment in identifying and then addressing content effectively and professionally. Lucy delivers sustained, exceptional work under stressful time constraints while maintaining her polite, cooperative, discrete, patient and good-humored manner. • Lucy has enhanced the substantive and administrative function of her position. She consistently provides a high level of service while showing respect and courtesy to others. Her work shows a pattern of accomplishment not just a single contribution. Her exemplary performance is worthy of recognition.

Stephen Wukitch, Research Scientist, Plasma Science & Fusion Center: Steve has shown remarkable leadership and incredible organizational skills, all while fostering the highest level of morale in the RF physics and engineering group. • Steven has also contributed very strongly in the areas of fostering and enabling collaborative work with RF theorists and computer modelers at several institutions, including MIT, the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab and internationally with the University of Torino in Italy and IPP Garching in Germany . • Steve also contributes significantly to the guidance of graduate students. • On top of all of his other contributions, Steve has willingly volunteered to coordinate all meeting presentations for the entire Alcator Group. • Steven has worked tirelessly for group objectives, while contributing at the highest level to scientific research in the C-Mod group.