About ECE

ECE Awards

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering recognizes exceptional faculty and staff with awards commending their great successes and the appreciation of their colleagues.

Gordon T. Lepley IV Endowed Memorial Teaching Award

Staff Merit Awards recognize exceptional contributions to the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department (ECE). Nominations are accepted from faculty, staff, and students throughout the department. Nominate a staff member.

Barry Levitch

Graduate admissions stalwart, Barry Levitch, received the ECE Staff Merit Award. His nominating recommendations say it all.

"Barry's job has changed completely since he started 12 years ago." says Levitch's colleague Melanie Gulick. "We've gone electronic and Barry was an integral part of that."

"When I walk into Barry's office with a question about an applicant, Barry seems to immediately know who I'm talking about. We have well over 200 applicants in Solid-State electronics alone this year, yet Barry still seems to know each by name." says Dr. Frank Register.

According to Dr. Brian Evans: "Barry single-handedly coordinates the evaluation of roughly 2,000 applications each year by nine different admissions committees. Each admissions committee has a different process and timetable in place, but Barry can fill requests for data within hours and stays calm in the face of the chaos that is graduate ECE admissions."

Previous Recipients

Melanie Gulick

Long-time graduate advisor, Melanie Gulick recently won the coveted ECE Staff Merit Award. This is not the first award to come her way. She is a perennial favorite for the Graduate Council's Staff Service Award. Her nominator summed it up: "Melanie is outstanding in all respects. She is extremely competent, very hard working and resourceful, very pleasant, and very compassionate in her interactions with all our graduate students...I have had the opportunity to observe Melanie's performance on a day by day basis, and I am very impressed...she is an example of dedication, to all of us!"

Diana Vega

Congratulations to Diana Vega for receiving the Spring 2006 semester ECE Staff Merit Award!! In addition to a letter from the Department Chair and a framed certificate, Ms. Vega received a check for $500.00! A 16-year veteran, Ms. Vega concentrates on logistrics for the department. Comments given on her nomination are "dedication and commitment towards her work," "dedicates herself to doing a good job," "following through on job tasks," and "has an excellent attitude."

Jennifer Wright

Jennifer Wright has been with the Wireless Networking and Communication Group (WNCG) from the beginning: first as an admin to Dr. Ted Rappaport, then for one dark period as his only employee, and now as the webmaster and publicist for the group. She's helped organize two major symposiums, stomped out countless fires, and snatches victory from the jaws of defeat practically daily. Her intelligence, patience, and work ethic have been noted.

She has done an outstanding job as the all-in-one solution for many faculty on our floor. She is very efficient and has always surprised me by doing things sooner than promised.
She is a star employee who reflects well on our entire department and university, and who always has a smile and an encouraging word for all she comes in contact with.
She has made me a better faculty member, a wiser manager, and she has helped me and others see the big picture during times when the intricate details can get overwhelming.
Jennifer Wright has been a key part of the Wireless Networking and Communication Group, and is a big reason for it's success within the ECE department.

Fred Kirby

Fred Kirby has been the operations manager of the LRC labs for the last three years. His job performance has been stellar as the following comments attest. No one in this department puts more blood, sweat and tears in making sure that the needs of our students are taken care of as best as we can accommodate.

He has done an amazing job... He works hard and leads by example. His service, dedication, and leadership deserve to be commended. He has been steadily improving the services to students in this area while working tirelessly to lower the cost of providing these services. He has demonstrated his ability as a team player in his work with the proctors as both a leader and mentor.

Sharon Bressette

Sharon Bressette, Advising Center Coordinator, won for her managerial skills, calm under pressure, and friendly professionalism. Some of the comments (and these are just from faculty and staff!):

Since her arrival she has been nothing but wonderful!

Watching her train a new staff member, taking care of all her tasks, and keeping her "cool" the whole time is so refreshing. Never has she lost it even though I know she is very tired and is very stressed out at times.

Even though she is just doing her job, she has totally made an outstanding contribution to this office and to the department. Team player does not say it all.

We are truly blessed to have her as our "leader of the pack".

Perry Durkee

Perry Durkee, 22 year veteran of ECE, was given the Staff Merit Award at the bi-monthly staff meeting. Durkee received the award for his willingness to take on any task; his patient assistance to students, faculty, and staff on large and small problems; and his ability to keep errant staffers in line.

Lupe Perez

Lupe Perez's placid temperament is legendary. Collegues find her "cheerful positive outlook on life" and ability to "joke and have a sense of humor no matter the situation" uplifting. She is seen as "good natured, professional, finishes what she starts, a real asset to ECE. Always has a good, optimistic view of a situation." Overall, she's "a joy to work with."

Lisa Walter

Lisa Walter, a 25 (!) year veteran of UT, won the Staff Merit Award for her patience, accessibility, and big heart in one of the busiest and most demanding jobs in the department. "She always has a moment when I need to ask a question and never makes me feel as if I am bothering her. Even when she is very busy she always manages a smile or a joke." "She is always ready to help another out...." She is the one who takes "lunch to a coworker who has just had a baby, or take lunch to a coworker who has just had a serious car accident, or to take dinner to a coworker (and spouse) after a first chemo treatment. She distributes birthday cards, get well cards, and sympathy cards to coworkers, and if you ever need to cry or vent, she will either lend you a shoulder, hand or her office." Thank you, Lisa, for being a friend as well as a colleague.

Amy Pinkston

Amy won this quarter's Staff Merit Award for cheerfully taking on additional responsibility, being a team player, and her diligent attention to the big picture and the little details that get you there.

Carole Bearden

Carole Bearden, 15 year UT veteran, won the coveted award for her "positive and friendly attitude, willingness to help, and sense of humor. She always has a smile for everyone and makes it a pleasure to work with her. She is very patient with the students she deals with. I think that a lot of them consider her a friend. Knowing everyone on campus gives her an advantage when a problem arises and she knows exactly who to call." Congratulations, Carole!

Daryl Goodnight

Daryl Goodnight won the bimonthly award for his willingness to go above and beyond his job description to help technically challenged staff and frustrated students with a wide array of problems. His tenacity is only exceeded by his gruff good humor. Congratulations, Daryl!

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