2007 Peer Awards
Awards Committee: Jennifer Brennan, Jennifer Ash-Poole, Jean-Jacques Bedet, Debbi McLean, Brendan Perry, Alan Polster, Joan Rurka, Cindy Trapp, John Westberg
Nomination Timeframe: 30 MAR 2007 through 12 APR 2007
Date of Ceremony: 29 APR 2007
Place: SESDA II Picnic and Peer Awards Ceremony, Bowie Bay Sox, Bowie, MD
Award Winners:
- Jaime Demick (Leadership)
"Jaime Demick-Montelara has been involved with almost every aspect of important work in Code 699, even when she was a summer student here. Jaime's accomplishments are far reaching, including noteworthy contributions to the Cassini encounter with Saturn, the Huygens Probe encounter and descent into Titan, the winning of the Mars Science Laboratory/Sample Analysis at Mars (MSL/SAM) proposal and significant work on the SAM development. Jaime is a spark for her peers–a knowledgeable, personable, and industrious person who is a composite of all the ideal attributes of a superior leader and a wonderful person. These admirable qualities have earned Jaime this Leadership Award."
- Mirl Ray Bendt (Team Player)
"Ray is an engineer who has become a very accomplished fabricator of SAM flight parts. His unique technical abilities are coupled with excellent communications skills and a keen sense of diplomacy. These talents bring balance and added value to a wide reaching and complex client base with demanding projects. Ray exhibits a very flexible attitude when faced with design changes and accepts these situations as challenges rather then problems. Ray's broad knowledge and experience have enabled him to make significant contributions to successful flight projects and the Mass Spectrometer team goals."
- Anthony Drake (Team Player)
"As a Configuration Management Lead, Tony is routinely involved with servicing a multitude of "quick turnaround" requests from most people at the GDAAC. Successfully navigating this field of potential landmines requires Tony's strong work ethic, patience, and diplomacy. He was recently delegated the additional task of Web Team Leader. Tony applied all his technical and personal skills to effectively incorporate this new responsibility into his daily routine. As a valued team member, Tony engages his co-workers in problem solving efforts and helps the team to stay focused and productive. Tony's dual role of Configuration Management Lead and Web Lead has helped to enhance the entire GDAAC team's performance."
- Jamee Serago (Team Player)
"As Sr. Administrative Assistant, Jamee Serago has a lot on her plate at any given time. Regardless of how busy she is, she will take the time to help. Rather than leave her peers to complete a last-minute task in a limited amount of time, she will offer to stay late and help finish it. For her willingness to share ideas and listen to those of others, she makes an excellent mentor and team player."
- Reginald Steward (Team Player)
"In an environment full of talented people, he stands head and shoulders above all. Reggie's engaging personality, enthusiasm and cheer go a long way in making Goddard Corporate Park an enjoyable work environment. As a person with a great work ethic, Reggie goes out of his way to lend a hand. His ability to recognize a person in need whether personal or work-related, and be the first to offer help has established him as a true team player."
- Geralyn Touart (Team Player)
"Geralyn is literally the driving force behind the EOSDIS Outreach Support group. Without Geralyn's tireless efforts, the task would cease to function effectively. She brings invaluable energy to the task and often goes above and beyond her duties to assure her team accomplishes its objectives. If you ask for her help, she is there for you. Geralyn recognizes when the team needs assistance in any phase of operation and will proactively resolve any problems or issues. The EOSDIS team has flourished due to Geralyn's outstanding character, loyalty, dependability and willingness to always make a positive difference."
- Ernie Buchanan (Innovator)
"Ernie's expert compilation of a list of electronic components meeting very cold temperature performance standards was an innovation that will have many benefits. Ernie carefully selected and tested commonly used components at Liquid Helium temperatures, then documented his findings to share with the rest of the Goddard community. This evaluation that Ernie initiated and accomplished has resulted in great timesaving benefits not only to his own lab but to many other GSFC labs developing spacecraft electronics."
- Xiaopeng Hu (Innovator)
"Xiaopeng Hu's exemplary skills and knowledge are continuously and deftly utilized to meet challenges in the Data and Information Services Center (DISC). His innovative approach of tying together several no-cost 'COTS' (Commercial, off the shelf) programs with custom interfaces (PublishX) greatly enhanced the task's ability to provide multiple types of web page services to the DISC community."
- Elaine Inskeep (Innovator)
"Elaine's amazing problem-solving skills are evident in her reengineering of the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) production database for the Aura Mission. Although Elaine is a newly certified database administrator, her thorough understanding of this complex system allows her to identify and correct many scripting errors. Elaine's innovative approach to the management of and maintenance to the database has reduced backup times by 75%. She routinely finds and fixes problems to the database that a more experienced administrator may overlook. Elaine's continuing contributions to the OMI SIPS team have proved to be invaluable."
- Bob Cavey (Unsung Hero)
"As a systems administrator for the GES DISC, Robert Cavey exemplifies skill, and a deep experience level in addressing a bombardment of support requests on a daily basis. He demonstrates a positive, supportive attitude, and will tenaciously pursue an issue until a satisfactory solution is found. Often going unrecognized, Bob Cavey is one of the best–a genuine 'Unsung Hero.'"
- Paul Lang (Unsung Hero)
"Paul Lang is one of the network engineers responsible for the entire networking set up at the SESDA II off-site facility. He designed the architecture (based on user/contract requirements), implemented it, and maintains it behind-the-scenes. Although he is very busy supporting his own task, Paul has always been accessible and a resource to the IT team at Goddard Corporate Park. At times he has worked after hours and on days off to perform critical networking tasks, which were transparent to SESDA II users. Without doubt, Paul Lang deserves to wear the title 'Unsung Hero.'"
- Andrei Mamoutkine (Unsung Hero)
"Andrei Mamoutkine plays a critical role supporting data downlink activities for the Cassini CIRS instrument. The success of the CIRS downlink pipeline operations is due in large measure, to his initiative, technical leadership, and extremely unselfish contributions. Andrei exhibits sustained superior performance, is the ultimate team player, and is very quiet about his accomplishments. It is most appropriate that his contributions receive recognition as an 'Unsung Hero.'"
- Tom Northcutt (Unsung Hero)
"Tom Northcutt is a very skilled Systems Administrator who is always willing to help out and share his valuable technical help. He is very knowledgeable in linux/unix system administration and IT security; works great with users; and is always up-to-date with the latest in IT policies, products, and solutions. You couldn't wish for a more generous and helpful colleague than Tom. Having received more than one nomination from his peers for the 'Unsung Hero Award' Tom is truly deserving."
- Amy Skowronek (Unsung Hero)
"As the systems administrator for the SOHO mission, the Solar Data Analysis Center, and the Stereo Science Center, Amy Skowronek is dedicated to keeping all systems running while diligently following NASA security procedures. Because Amy does her job so well, and without complaint, most people have no idea that she's even doing it–the true definition of an 'Unsung Hero.'"
- Ed Patrick (Health and Safety Awareness)
"Ed Patrick has been significantly contributing to numerous missions within the Atmosphere Experiment Laboratory since his arrival. Noting all of his scientific contributions would be a difficult task, but one noteworthy example centers around Ed's design and construction of an elegant and simple alarm system for his lab's exhaust ventilation system. His no-cost design, using existing parts, provided the lab with a much-needed and timely safety alert system. This proactive approach helped to ensure the safety of his fellow co-workers earning him a Peer Award in Health and Safety."
- Irina Gerasimov (Wildcard)
"Irina's contributions fall into several categories without one overshadowing the other. She has been known to start her work day long before she arrives at the DISC and has earned a reputation for being the hardest working person there. Irina has consistently shown both leadership and team support qualities demonstrated by her supportive interactions with junior DISC staff. She exudes an inspirational attitude of confidence and focus. Irina consistently demonstrates a number of admiral technical, personal and work ethic skills that are rarely found in one individual."
- Joe Hourclé (Wildcard)
"Joe's unique qualities and contributions do not easily fall into one category. Described as a 'go-getter,' Joe is a person who makes things happen and is always ready to lend a helping hand. His willingness to go the extra mile for the benefit of his team has not gone unnoticed and is truely appreciated by all."
