{"690680":{"#nid":"690680","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Institute for Matter and Systems Honors Five for Employee Excellence","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Institute for Matter and Systems (IMS) announced the recipients of the IMS Employee Excellence Awards, recognizing five outstanding individuals for their exceptional contributions to the IMS community. These awards honor staff and research faculty who have gone above and beyond their regular responsibilities to advance IMS\u2019s mission and values.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStaff and faculty submitted more than 40 nominations for outstanding employees for their work during the 2025-26 fiscal year. Nominators included IMS staff, facility users, center directors, and affiliated faculty.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEach recipient was recognized at the IMS Summer Staff Event held in June 2026.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHenry Su, Senior Research Engineer\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHenry Su was selected for his leadership of the laser micromachining lab, where he drove significant growth in facility usage, revenue, and user training while maintaining high standards of service and operational excellence. Beyond managing the lab, he enhanced research and education through targeted technical training, hands-on support for faculty and student projects, and contributions that were acknowledged in multiple doctoral dissertations and research publications. He also strengthened IMS\u2019s external visibility through industry partnerships, conference participation, and outreach initiatives that expanded the lab\u2019s impact on campus and beyond.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThomas Johnson-Averette, Cleanroom Controls Lead\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThomas Johnson-Averette was recognized for his exceptional technical leadership, expertise in semiconductor fabrication, and unwavering commitment to supporting researchers across IMS. He has played a critical role in advancing research through process optimization, equipment installation, troubleshooting, and mentorship, while also leading innovative infrastructure projects that improved operational efficiency, enhanced campus safety through real-time gas monitoring, and reduced costs through the development of in-house monitoring and remote-access systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMengkun Tian, Senior Research Scientist\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMengkun Tian\u003C\/strong\u003E was recognized for his dedication to maintaining the reliability and performance of IMS\u2019s advanced microscopy facilities, ensuring researchers have access to high-quality instrumentation with minimal downtime. Through proactive equipment maintenance, strong technical expertise, and a commitment to user support, he has enhanced research efficiency, data quality, and scientific productivity across multiple disciplines while fostering a collaborative and welcoming environment for facility users.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETodd Walters, Process Equipment Engineer III\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETodd\u0026nbsp;Walters\u003C\/strong\u003E was selected for his technical expertise, dedication to users, and unwavering commitment to maintaining and advancing IMS\u2019s electron microscopy capabilities. Known for his ability to troubleshoot and repair complex instrumentation, mentor students and staff, and support both internal and external researchers, Todd has saved IMS significant maintenance costs, minimized equipment downtime, and helped countless users succeed in their research. His combination of technical skill, responsiveness, and genuine investment in the research community has made him an indispensable resource and a cornerstone of the Materials Characterization Facility\u2019s success.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJosh Lee, Research Program Manager\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJosh Lee was recognized for his leadership in building the Wearable Intelligent Systems and Healthcare (WISH) Center into a collaborative and broad research community that actively connects researchers across disciplines and institutions. Through thoughtful programming, strategic relationship-building, and a highly cooperative support approach, he has helped foster new collaborations, increase engagement, and create a culture where researchers feel welcomed, valued, and encouraged to share their work.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Institute for Matter and Systems recognized staff and research faculty for their exceptional contributions during the 2025-26 fiscal year.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Institute for Matter and Systems recognized staff and research faculty for their exceptional contributions during the 2025-26 fiscal year."}],"uid":"35272","created_gmt":"2026-06-08 15:23:43","changed_gmt":"2026-06-08 15:36:12","author":"aneumeister3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-06-08T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-06-08T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680430":{"id":"680430","type":"image","title":"employee_excellence_2026_web.png","body":null,"created":"1780932231","gmt_created":"2026-06-08 15:23:51","changed":"1780932231","gmt_changed":"2026-06-08 15:23:51","alt":"From left to right, Mengkun Tian, Todd Walters, Eric Vogel, and Henry Su stand outdoors holding Employee Excellence Award certificates and a commemorative recognition plaque. The group poses in front of a landscaped campus setting, celebrating their achievements and contributions to the Georgia Tech Institute for Matter and Systems.","file":{"fid":"264688","name":"employee_excellence_2026_web.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/08\/employee_excellence_2026_web.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/06\/08\/employee_excellence_2026_web.png","mime":"image\/png","size":3734288,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/06\/08\/employee_excellence_2026_web.png?itok=CwCDGd_2"}}},"media_ids":["680430"],"groups":[{"id":"660369","name":"Matter and Systems"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:amelia.neumeister@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAmelia Neumeister\u003C\/a\u003E | Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Institute for Matter and Systems\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["amelia.neumeister@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}