|
|
JANIE TERREL
ME STAFF EXCELLENCE AWARD RECIPIENT, 2004
|
|
The 2004 Departmental Staff Excellence Award was presented to
Janie Terrel. Ms. Terrel works with students and faculty in the
Robotics Research Group on the J.J. Pickle Campus. She is the resource manager for this group, which is the
largest university mechanical engineering robotics research group in the U.S.
|
|
Dr. Delbert Tesar nominated Janie for the myriad responsibilities she shoulders for the Robotics Research Group.
In his nomination, Dr. Tesar highlighted the large, complicated budgetary activities that Janie successfully carries out day in and
day out. During the award period, for example, she worked long hours to shepherd through a multimillion dollar four-year
proposal on space robot development.
|
Janie is feted by her colleagues
at the Staff Award Reception.
|
"With some help from my colleague,
Dr. Mitch Pryor, Janie largely put that cost proposal together herself. She came in on weekends and worked nights to do so.
For a staff person, this was the greatest commitment I have ever seen over forty years."
It isn't just with internal business practices that Janie excels. As Dr. Chetan Kapoor, Chief Scientist of the Robotics Research Group
noted, she handles critical issues across a broad range. She works closely with students, employees, contractors, partners, and
UT offices. Drs. Kapoor and Pryor, have worked with her as students and later as faculty/researchers. They have seen her perform
from "both sides of the fence."
|
The traditional awarding of the "big check".
|
Janie's nomination included support from colleagues, students, and faculty of the Robotics Research Group. But, as a testiment to
her work as a true "team player", she also received support from outside the RRG. Jean Toll, Executive Assistant for the
Microelectronics Research Center, recommended Janie for this recognition as well. Jean cited one particular example of Janie's
abilities.
|
Janie lent her expertise to a complex NASA proposal for the MER Building after the principal investigator for the project was called
away. Janie "stepped forward to manage this very complicated project and since time was critical, she worked 24 hours straight in
order meet the submission deadline the next day. This was no ordinary proposal, I might add. It had very difficult components to it
and her expertise was evident as we worked through the night on each module."
Students in the Group also heap praise on Janie for her help with tuition, travel, financial aid, registration, and all the various
difficulties that can arise during a semester. Everyone who nominated Janie talked not only about what a valuable asset she is for
the Group, but also about what a good and caring person she is. The voting criteria for this award are "Outstanding dedication,
competence, conscientious performance, excellent customer service, or ingenuity." From the testimonials of her colleagues above,
it is obvious that Janie deserves to be the ME Staff Excellence Award winner for 2004.
|
|
