Erin Rainone: Elizabeth Herron credited Rainone for her efforts in coordinating events to raise awareness of the danger of tick bite diseases. “Cocktail galas and ticks don’t usually go together (we hope!) but Erin Rainone, the 2008 CELS Outreach Educator Excellence Award winner, manages to combine them with great panache!

“Ms. Rainone, a research assistant with the Center for Vector-Born Disease, not only coordinates the annual cocktail gala fundraisers, Tick Control Awareness Day events and workshops for a variety of audiences with higher risk of tick encounters, she manages to get out in the field to collect ticks and help with ongoing research too.”

Rainone was also cited for being instrumental in bringing the Center’s Tick Encounter Resource Center Outreach Program to area schools to teach elementary school children how to reduce their risk of tick exposure and contracting Lyme and other diseases. “She works well in our multi-media world by arranging showings of the Center’s movie Hidden in the Leaves at libraries throughout the state,” said Herron. “She also maintains the center’s website www.tickencounter.org, answering any and all questions posed by concerned citizens. And she does it all with great creativity, enthusiasm and a smile – truly an outstanding Outreach Educator!”

Yeqiao Wang: Mark Stolt said Wang received considerable praise for his research from his peers. Among the comments about his work were “tremendously hard worker,” “incredibly productive,” “developed a strong program that is nationally recognized,” “very successful at getting extramural grants,” “ has strong international reputation,” “publications are of excellent quality and have a major impact,” and “always looking for solutions to problems or applications in management of environmental, ecological and agricultural systems.”

Stolt noted that Wang was presented at the White House with the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers that put them among a handful of the most promising scientists in the country.”

Wang’s research was presented by the U.S. delegation led by the Department of State as a showcase study at the “World Summit on Sustainable Development” held in South Africa. In addition, added Stolt, Wang was offered a fellowship from the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the German Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to attend the German-American Frontiers of Science Symposium.

Megan Dyer: Patty Harrington had this to report about Dyer: “We received many letters of nomination for this years’ staff excellence award winner, some from as far away as Pakistan and England. Quoting from some of the letters: ‘tasks are always completed to a high standard and undertaken with a bright and cheerful outlook, making this person a pleasure to work with.’, ‘this person is diligent, skillful, energetic, responsible and professional.’, and ‘this person spent an inordinate amount of time with me, never complaining, and showing me the most patience and dedication that I have ever experienced in any training situation.’.

“You probably can’t guess who this is from these words of praise, but maybe this next one will narrow it down – ‘on any given day, this person may be using as much finesse as an artist to coax ticks to drool in tubes, then heading out into the field hauling 50 pound bags of corn, sometimes several hundred yards, sometimes through briars, to deer feeders.’

Continued Harrington, “Well, if you haven’t guessed it from that, then you don’t know Megan Dyer. For the past three years, Megan has worked as a Research Assistant with Tom Mather and the Center for Vector-Borne Disease crew, and if she can’t get spit from a tick, no one can! If that isn’t enough, Megan also helps with web page design, takes care of animals, drives heavy machinery, created a tick awareness patch program for the Girl Scouts, and must be a superb baker, because almost every letter mentioned her cakes and other treats. Most important is the fact that she does these things with a big smile.”

Fred Launer: Kurt Schnier noted that Launer is a lecturer in the Department of Fisheries, Animal and veterinary Sciences and came to URI three years ago from the state department of Environmental Management.

“Fred spent 25 years working for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This is not Fred’s first teaching excellence award; he won a similar award while teaching Animal Management at Tufts University during his tenure at the USDA.

“Fred’s students have enjoyed his hands-on learning style and the enthusiasm he possesses. Fred has spent countless hours going above and beyond the call of duty by sacrificing numerous evenings and weekends to work with his students while preparing for the Northeast Students Affiliates Livestock Competition, a competition they recently placed 2nd in this past year,” said Schnier.

“He has been an excellent mentor for his students and also possesses a hilarious sense of humor which his students thoroughly enjoy. Fred’s bond with his students will invariably span beyond their time at the University Rhode Island. This bond and his role their development has earned him the nickname of “Papa Bear” in the Department of Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences.”