Suzanne Weber receives Director's Award
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Suzanne Weber accepts the Director's Award from Fermilab Director Pier Oddone Wednesday, Nov. 4. Weber received the annual award for her 20 years of work with the Saturday Morning Physics program. |
Nearly every Saturday morning for the past 20 years, Suzanne Weber has greeted and guided high school students eager to learn about physics.
Fermilab Director Pier Oddone awarded Weber the 2009 Director's Award for her contributions to the Saturday Morning Physics program.
Weber received the award at the Education Office's annual volunteer reception on Wednesday, Nov. 4. The Director's Award is given annually to an employee, user, graduate student, retiree or guest scientist who contributed significantly to Fermilab's K-12 education programs.
Fermilab employees Herman White, Anne Heavey and Sten Hansen served on the selection committee. White, who chaired the committee, said that Weber was an obvious choice.
"Programs like this don't just happen," White said. "They require someone like Suzanne to get up every Saturday and make it work seamlessly."
Other than a few absences for illness or travel, Weber has worked every one of the Saturday Morning Physics program's sessions, three semesters a year for the past 20 years. Her award cites her support for the program, which "has influenced the lives of thousands of high school physics students, some of whom have returned to work at the lab."
"It is nice to be publicly recognized," Weber said about the award. "I really enjoy the program. I regularly meet physicists from around the world, and I really like meeting kids interested in physics from our own backyard."
Weber, who works as Fermilab's conference events coordinator, received a plaque and a $1,000 award, paid for by an anonymous donation to Fermilab Friends for Science Education.
Certificates of appreciation were also given to two finalists:
- Erik Ramberg, for his long-term contributions to the Saturday Morning Physics program and his development of Fermilab's solar and wind energy display.
- Michael Cooke, for his secondary school lectures, his contributions to the Science Open House events and his presentations at the Science Chicago LabFests.
The three additional nominees also received certificates of appreciation:
- Roger Dixon, for his long-term work running the Saturday Morning Physics program and the Internships for Physics Majors program.
- Don Lincoln, for his many public education activities, including his work with QuarkNet teachers.
- Todd Johnson, for his demonstrations, including a demonstration at the laboratory's 2009 Open House.
— Rhianna Wisniewski |