The following MIT community members have been recognized for going the extra mile. Thank someone today.
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Judy Robinson & David Friedrich
Its heartwarming that the MIT community is coming together to recognize all the extra work and support that DSL, Res Hall Housteams, and student workers have been doing. But two folks in particular have not yet been able to be recognized, Judy and David. They have been non-stop on phone calls, texts, emails putting aside their families and lives to help guide students and staff through this difficult situation. At the forefront of all these difficult decisions is a thankless place. We recognize the time, energy, and consideration that you both have given to MIT in the past week +. We will all weather this storm together, and we are lucky to have folks at the top who care so much.
Your Colleague, Division of Student Life
Michael Moran
Michael has been working non-stop to make sure that everyone (including administrators, faculty, students and research staff in the KI) is set-up with work-from-home arrangements. We'd be lost without his guidance and expertise. Thank you, Michael!
Terry Clewley, Koch Institute
Ganatra
Ganatra helped out so much with BC storage and checkouts; we couldn’t have done it without him!
Autumn Geil, Course 3, Burton Conner
MIT News Office staff
You have all stepped up during the current crisis not only to help the world understand MIT — but much more importantly, at this moment, to help MIT understand itself. I appreciate all that you are doing to support and inform our MIT community, in its suddenly scrambled form, even as many of you are shouldering significant family responsibilities of your own. Over the past six months, your work has been more important to MIT than ever. As always, I am in awe of your professionalism, dedication, and community spirit.
Steve Bradt, Executive Director, MIT News Office
Sarah Farrington, Leny Gocheva, Jennifer Lynn, Ryan Murphy
This team has worked tirelessly and done a phenomenal job addressing our research operations scale-back plans by ensuring that our PIs, lab members, and core facilities users are informed and prepared. It's a monumental task and they've handled it with amazing aplomb. Thank you!
Terry Clewley, Koch Institute
Ollie Gelmont
The Office of Philanthropic Partnerships would like to recognize Ollie Gelmont, who works in the Facilities and Operations department of W98, for his exceptional and above-and-beyond care of our office building while most of us are away. In addition to receiving packages, delivering mail to each floor (including taking photos of mail and sending to various staff), coordinating facilities projects, and clearing out refrigerators, today he most graciously offered to care for our plants by setting up little greenhouses in conference rooms! His thoughtfulness has touched so many of us and we would like to acknowledge his amazing work!
Office of Philanthropic Partnerships (OPP), Resource Development
Department Head Anne White
Anne White has worked tirelessly to support all members of the NSE community in these hard times. While still on campus, she worked to provide storage supplies for NSE undergrads and support for students looking for housing exemptions. Each day she has sent out a daily update on the numerous changes due to COVID19, which has helped me to organize all of the new information coming my way. I feel completely supported and her work has greatly reduced my stress in such a chaotic time. Thank you so much for all of your work!
Leanne Galanek, Nuclear Science and Engineering
Kristin Hall
Kristin has been going the extra mile on the Media Lab slack to provide reassuring, detailed replies to people expressing concerns and distress. Plus also promoting discussions around grounding activities like gardening and celebration of small victories. She's encouraging mindsets of acceptance - even if you don't have a fancy home laboratory setup, even if you aren't at 95% productivity right now, doesn't mean you aren't a worthy engineer/scientist/artist.
Anonymous, MIT Media Lab
James Bernis and E-19 Receiving
James and the Receiving team have gone above and beyond to make sure the the high volume of deliveries for Medical have been delivered promptly. Their efforts are greatly appreciated.
Ruth Evensen, Medical
Kathy Matuszewska, supervisor night operations
Thank you for working overnight (11AM-9AM) and providing the residents with direction, communication and empathy. Extremely tough shift to work, but you are always here and ready to serve the MIT community.
Sean Durst, HRS/DSL
Tomás Vega Gálvez
Tomás is an alumnus of MIT Media Lab, he came back to help the Lab start an initiative that develops technology against COVID-19 using on-body devices that prevent people from touching their faces. His prior research and extensive experiences on wearable computing and Bluetooth enabled device became very essential for the project. He selflessly contributed to the project since the beginning of ideation to the successful execution of the project. He embodies the spirit of MIT that strives for making real-world impacts through elegant innovative solutions.
Pat Pataranutaporn, MIT Media Lab
Cleaning staff
Yesterday at 9 pm I went to pick up my needed office items before the building closed for good. I ran into one of the women who cleans building 9. I asked if she was still going to be able to work. She said yes but I wondered. Here she was doing the essential work for keeping the place clean and safe for us all. So to here and the others who clean I offer my deepest thanks
Ceasar McDowell, DUSP
Lorrie Lejeune
Thank you for being the linchpin in keeping the information flowing and providing the organization to help us relocate our work so we can be safe!
Anonymous, MIT Media Lab
Rabbi Ariel Burger - Hillel
He is one of the very few who actually helped me in this time and alleviated my anxiety being far away from home and my family, where things aren't looking good at the moment. Rabbi Ariel gave us a very helpful and inspiring last in-person class and has been connected with us on a daily basis through different platforms to offer tranquility and a platform of resources to combat any difficult or emotional phase we're going through now.
Helena Briones, IDM
IS&T
You folks got Zoom up and running in an amazingly short amount of time. THANK YOU!! I've been using both WebEx and Zoom this week, and Zoom has saved the day more than once when WebEx failed my group in some way. I am so grateful to all the folks in IS&T who made this happen. <3
Kim Maxwell, MIT Libraries
Ganatra
This man was so awesome when it came to organizing BC storage! He made packing things up so much easier- Idk what I would have done without him sending out countless emails about boxes, BC storage, and piece by piece storage.
Sarah Coston, Freshman
Matthew Ganatra
For holding down the fort in BC while everyone was getting out and storing their stuff.
Jierui Fang, Architecture
EC House Team & JoeG
Thank you so much for everything you did for us. I know y'all worked around the clock at desk, ordering boxes, helping us move, and fighting for us to make the transition as easy as possible. Much love <3
Peter Choza Tone, 21M-2
Mathew Ganatra
Ganatra has been so incredibly helpful with the entire storage process at BC. He does his job thoroughly and seriously--I don't know anyone else who could've done a better job than him in this trying time. He goes under-appreciated, truly. Also, he's a great BC Desk Captain. Thank you!!!
Sophia Chen, Burton Conner
Mathew Ganatra
I want to thank Ganatra (BC desk captain) for basically organizing and working checkout and BC storage all by himself (working ~20 hours a day) last week during the turbulent week when all the students are packing & moving.
Meryl, 6-3
Matthew Ganatra
He was so organized and helpful with Burton Conner storage and it is so appreciated!
Sophie Anderson, Burton Conner
Matthew Ganatra
He organized the entire Burton Conner move out and with such organization!
Tatum Wilhelm, Resident of Burton-Conner
Mathew Ganatra
Ganatra is the desk captain at Burton-Conner House and he put in a huge amount of work over the last week to make sure storage, check-out, etc. goes smoothly. He coordinated almost all the logistics and was always present and helpful at BC desk. I'm really astounded by his tireless work and think he really deserves recognition.
Shardul Chiplunkar, Undergrad 18C
Mathew Ganatra
Ganatra took care of the entire Burton-Conner residence dorm during the week of MIT’s COVID-19 response, from helping us store our belongings to being a good friend and comforting us. Thank you for your generosity and outgoing behavior during this time!
Bhav Jain, Undergraduate, Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences
Matthew Ganatra
Ganatra has always put the BC Community at the forefront. From helping me adjust to MIT my freshman year to working non-stop to ensure proper storage during the recent crisis, Ganatra has been a great friend and support. I am forever grateful :)
Hannah Liu, MIT Student
Prof. Chris Zegras
Chris (DUSP department head) holds virtual cafe hours every day to mimic bumping into one another in the hallway and have a casual conversation. He has also shown a great compassion during this time. Thank you Chris!
Natalia Barbour, DUSP
Mathew Ganatra
Amongst the hectic undergrad packing and storing craze that happened last weekend, Mathew Ganatra (also an undergrad) nearly single-handedly organized and successfully executed all of Burton Conner storage. He made sure everyone got the boxes and packing necessities that people needed. Superhuman is an understatement.
Burton Conner
IS&T
The staff in IS&T has been phenomenal during this time of crisis! They have been great partners helping us get the staff in VPR/RAS working remotely, and providing tools to make our work easier - Slack and Zoom are great additions. We very much appreciate all of their help!
Carol Wood, VPR/RAS
MIT emergency management leadership
On behalf of the Architecture community, I want to express our appreciation for the incredible response over the past week around all of the academic, medical, housing, campus and online teaching issues by the upper leadership, and as coordinated by Ian Waitz. Too many people to mention but deep thanks to you all.
Andrew Scott, Architecture
Mathew Ganatra
Ganatra did an amazing job supporting all of the BC residents during the stressful past week and made sure everyone had a place to store their things. He also put in tons of his own time to run storage and make sure everyone who needed to store items could.
Lila Wine, Course 2