In addition to the formal, Institute-wide Excellence Awards, there are two additional programs at MIT for acknowledging co-workers and peers.
Appreciation or Spot awards are used for informal, on-the-spot, day-to-day recognition, while Infinite Mile awards are typically more formal, semi-annual or annual awards administered and presented in local areas. MIT has granted each area considerable freedom to customize their own activities.
Appreciation awards/spot awards
Appreciation Awards (aka "on-the-spot" or "spot" awards) are delivered at the time of achievement. These acknowledgments should be relatively small and can be given to individuals, teams, or work groups.
They may come in the form of thank-you notes, candy, flowers, lunches, group events or outings, movie tickets, etc. As with all awards, they should be tied to a specific message of recognition for a concrete or measurable goal, achievement, or contribution. These awards should not exceed a value of $100 per individual per year.
The types of contributions that might be recognized through appreciation awards are:
- staying late to help someone prepare a presentation for the next day
- volunteering to cover for a co-worker who is out sick
- going out of your way to help boost morale or create a positive, inclusive work environment
- exceeding expectations for a goal or milestone in a long-term collaborative project
Use Find Your Local Program below to locate your organizational area's recognition site. If your area does not have a web site, you can email the key contact listed for your unit and he/she will provide you with the program guidelines.
Infinite Mile awards
The Infinite Mile awards are given to teams and individuals for significant accomplishments in their departments, labs, or centers or in other DLCs with which they collaborate. Criteria for receiving the awards are determined locally and are frequently grouped into different award categories.
Each area has designed a unique program which suits its culture and strategic goals. Typically, Infinite Mile Awards come in the form of cash (subject to payroll taxes) and/or a social event or outing. They may also be tangible gifts such as plaques, gift certificates, or cultural or sports event tickets.
Use Find Your Local Program below to locate your organizational area's recognition site. If your area does not have a web site, you can email the key contact listed for your unit and he/she will provide you with the program guidelines and a copy of the nomination form.
Find your local program
Diana Castaneda diancas@mit.edu
Ellen Gilmore egilmore@mit.edu
Department of Architecture, Department of Urban Studies & Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, Media Lab, Center for Real Estate, Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism, Program in Art, Culture and Technology
Dineen Doucette dineend@mit.edu
Emma Bagshaw ebagshaw@mit.edu
Athletics, Physical Education & Recreation, Audio Visual, Campus Activities Complex, Dining, Community Development & Substance Abuse Programs, DSL Administration, DSL Fundraising, Endicott House; Fraternities, Sororities and Independent Living Groups (FSILGs); Hobby Shop, Housing, MIT Card Office & TechCASH, Office of the Dean for Student Life, Public Service Center, Religious Life, Residential Life Programs, Student Activities, Student Leadership Development, Student Mediation & Community Standards, Student Life Programs, Student Support Services
Sonja Dagbjartsdottir sonjad@mit.edu
Alicja Estabrooks estabroa@mit.edu
Departments: Chem E/DMSE, Aeronautics & Astronautics, Biological Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Engineering Systems Division, Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Science and Engineering, School of Engineering, Office of the Dean; Laboratories, Centers and Programs: Biotechnology Process Engineering Center, Center for Technology, Policy and Industrial Development, Center for Transportation and Logistics, Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation, Industrial Performance Center, Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Laboratory for Electromagnetic and Electronic Systems, Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems, Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity, Leaders for Global Operations, The Lemelson-MIT Program, Microsystems Technology Laboratories, MIT Center for Biomedical Innovation, MIT-Portugal Program, Professional Education Programs, Sea Grant, Singapore-MIT Alliance, System Design and Management Program, Technology and Policy Program, Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Program (UPOP)
Catherine Kim kimcs@mit.edu
Environment, Health, and Safety Office
Nadia Morrison nmorriso@mit.edu
Damaris Colono damarisc@mit.edu
Raquel Irons rirons@mit.edu
Vice President for Finance Operations
Ann Warner-Harvey awharvey@mit.edu
Nico Lang nlang@mit.edu
School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab, Anthropology Program, Comparative Media Studies/Writing, Economics, Global Studies and Languages, History Section, Linguistics & Philosophy, Literature Section, Music & Theater Arts Section, Office of the Dean, Political Science, Programs in Science, Technology & Society, Center for International Studies; Women & Gender Studies
Erminia Piccinonno erminia@mit.edu
Human Resources
Cori Champagne corich@mit.edu
Information Systems & Technology
Alice Knipfing knipfing@mit.edu
Rachel Weisz weisz@mit.edu
Ellen Beachy ebeachy@ll.mit.edu
Charlene Flaherty cflahert@mit.edu
MIT Investment Management Company (MITIMCo)
Shannon Ciempa sciempa@mit.edu
MIT Medical
Diane Magnuson magn@med.mit.edu
Lisa Owens owens@med.mit.edu
Judy Freemanjfreeman@mit.edu
MIT Press
Nick Green njgreen@mit.edu
President/Executive Vice President and Treasurer
Gray House, Office of the Chairman of the Corporation, Office of the Executive Vice President and Treasurer, Office of the General Counsel, Office of the President, Office of the Vice President and Secretary of the Corporation, Institute Events, Communication Production Services, Ombuds Office, MIT Washington Office, News Office and Office of Government and Community Relations
Ann McNamara annm@mit.edu
Sarah Brown Mattivello smattiv@MIT.EDU
Provost/Vice President for Research
Offices of the Provost, Associate Provosts, Vice President for Research, and the following units: Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Center for Materials Research in Archaeology and Ethnology, COUHES (office), Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), edX, Division of Comparative Medicine, Environmental Solutions Initiative, Haystack Observatory, Innovation Initiative, Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies, International Scholars Office, J-WAFS, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, List Visual Arts Center, Materials Research Laboratory, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT Museum, MIT.nano, MIT-Skoltech, MIT-SUTD Collaboration, MIT Venture Mentoring Service, MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI), MIT/Woods Hole Joint Program in Oceanography and Oceanographic Engineering, Nuclear Reactor Laboratory, Office of the Arts, Office of Corporate Relations/Industrial Liaison Program, Office of Sponsored Programs, Open Learning, Plasma Science and Fusion Center, Research Laboratory of Electronics, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), SOLVE, Technology Licensing Office, Tech Review.
Gabriella Browne gbrowne@mit.edu
Jennifer Walsh jwalsh@mit.edu
Offices of the Vice President for Resource Development
Katie Galan kgalan@mit.edu
Ellen Gilmore egilmore@mit.edu
Depts. of Biology, Brain/Cognitive Sciences, Clinical Research Center, Chemistry, EAPS, Mathematics, Physics; Learning and Memory, Space Research; Experimental Study Group; Lab for Nuclear Science, Spectroscopy Lab
Heather Williams heatherg@mit.edu
Kelly Murray kmurray@mit.edu
Schwarzman College of Computing
Eileen Ng eng@mit.edu
Lucy Lui llui@mit.edu
Matthew Seto mmseto@mit.edu
Vice Chancellor: Dean for Undergraduate Education and Graduate Education
Admissions Office, Concourse, D-Lab, DUE Administrative Services, Edgerton Center, Global Education and Career Development Office (GECD), International Students Office, Office of Experiential Learning, Office of Graduate Education, Office of Minority Education, Office of the Chancellor, Registrar's Office, Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), Student Financial Services, Teaching and Learning Laboratory, Terrascope, Title IX Office, Undergraduate Advising and Academic Programming (UAAP)
Kristin McCoy kmccoy@mit.edu
Sharon Bridburg bridburg@mit.edu
Key contacts
Key Contacts are the individuals who are responsible for creating and maintaining recognition-related programs and activities within their areas at MIT.
Funding is allocated locally but budgeted and managed centrally through Human Resources.
In the Wiki
If you're a Key Contact, our private wiki provides you with resources for recognizing employees through financial and non-financial means, a communications bank of recognition content you can customize and send to your area, and more.
Need Help?
Reach us at excellence@mit.edu.
