2025 Zoology Staff Achievement Awards:
Gigi Lau – Leadership Award
Patrick Tamkee – Community Contribution Award
Mindy Chow – Workplace Excellence Award
CITATIONS FROM NOMINATIONS:
Gigi’s nomination:
Gigi has made enormous contributions to the Zoology department on multiple-significant areas experienced by the Botany and Zoology departments and has displayed outstanding dedication and expertise, providing invaluable educational direction and guidance to teaching staff, faculty, and technicians supporting the Biology program, as well as playing a pivotal role in promoting worker and student safety. Gigi consistently performs beyond the call of duty, demonstrating exceptional leadership in every aspect. Nominating Gigi is a tangible way of acknowledging her dedication, showing our profound gratitude and appreciation as a valued colleague, and simply saying "thank you".
Patrick’s nomination:
As the Aquatics Facility Manager, Patrick’s job portfolio may only intersect with a subsection of the Zoology community and yet there is not a single person in this department who has not been touched by his generosity and community spirit through his initiative and execution of internal departmental events. Patrick has a thoughtful approach to the aquatic facility management and great dedication to safety in his role as Safety Officer and Local Safety Team Chair. His careful oversight ensures that all department members can conduct research safely and effectively. Beyond his technical expertise, Patrick actively strengthens our Zoology community through his passion for bringing people together, particularly through food-related initiatives that build meaningful connections among colleagues.
Mindy’s nomination:
Mindy Chow is deeply admired and valued by her colleagues because she is a trusted resource who is relied upon to execute and follow-up on countless challenging and complex tasks. By integrating her honed problem-solving skills with her wealth of experience with lab safety and facilities, Mindy is a powerhouse combination of efficiency, effectiveness even under the most stressful circumstances. Mindy’s kindness and professionalism makes such a positive difference in morale and motivation during the most strenuous times. Mindy is exceptional and most deserving of recognition for her endless valuable contributions to the Zoology department.
These awards recognize staff who demonstrated outstanding achievement and excellence within the Zoology community and beyond. Awards will be presented at the Zoology Summer BBQ on August 27.
2025 Zoology Staff Achievement Adjudication Committee: Katie Pikor, Tammy Tromba & Jonathan Affleck