VIMS 2019 Service Awards

The following remarks were read by Dean and Director Dr. John Wells during VIMS' annual Awards Ceremony on May 21, 2020 to honor recipients of the 2019 Service Awards. Citations for the 2019 Student Awards are also available. 

Outstanding Employee Awards

The Outstanding Employee awards are chosen by nominations received by the Awards Committee from all faculty, staff, and students at VIMS.

Freeman Volunteer of the Year Award

This award is named for the late Robert Mallory Freeman, a former VIMS Council member and avid supporter. The winner of the Freeman Award for 2019 is Helmut Walter.

MacDonald Thumb
Administrative Support

The winner of the 2019 Outstanding Employee for Administrative Support is Libby MacDonald.

MacDonald Thumb
Technical Support

The winner of the 2019 Outstanding Employee for Technical Support is Joy Baber.

Suzanne Pitsillides
Excellence Award

This award recognizes a staff member who continually goes above and beyond their assigned job duties to better the institution. The winner for 2019 is Suzanne Pitsillides.

Troy D. Tuckey
Excellence in Mentoring Award

This award recognizes a faculty member who has demonstrated mastery of graduate-student mentoring. The winner for 2019 is Dr. Bongkeun (BK) Song.

Robert J. Latour
Outstanding Faculty Teacher Award

This award recognizes a faculty member who has excelled in teaching, research, or advisory service. The recipient for 2019 is Robert J. Latour.

Ms. Danika Robinson
Diversity & Inclusion Award

This award recognizes a community member who supports the broad range of backgrounds and experiences at VIMS and who works to create and foster a respectful, cooperative, and equitable campus environment. The recipient for 2019 is DaNika Robinson.

Ms. Danika Robinson
Nepal Water Initiative flourishes with multidisciplinary collaboration across W&M

True multidisciplinary collaboration is at the heart of what is now known as the Nepal Water Initiative (NWI), a research effort led by scientists and scholars from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), the Global Research Institute (GRI), the Institute for Integrative Conservation (IIC), and the Religious Studies Department.

Ms. Danika Robinson
Encouraging news for underwater grasses in Chesapeake Bay, despite “mystery” losses around Gunpowder and Middle Rivers

An annual survey led by VIMS researchers mapped 76,462 acres of underwater grasses in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries in 2022. Their report, published today, documents a 12% increase in submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in the regions mapped by the team, with lead researcher Dr. Christopher Patrick noting, “For the most part, we had a really encouraging year for SAV throughout the Bay.”