Williams receives Distinguished Employee Award

FROM RICE NEWS STAFF REPORTS

For his wide-ranging efforts to publicize faculty and student research and other good news about Rice, Public Affairs’ Mike Williams has received a Distinguished Employee Award.

	MIKE WILLIAMS

Williams joined the News and Media Relations team in 2008 as a senior media relations specialist. His news releases and media pitches have generated substantial national media recognition for the university, including a front-page story in the Aug. 31 New York Times last year that reported on work from Professor Jim Tour’s lab on improving computer memory chips.

Williams’ news release about the compact, inexpensive microscope for diagnosing TB that alumnus Andrew Miller designed when he was a senior at Rice also generated articles in the New York Times, MSNBC.com, the Huffington Post, the Houston Chronicle and Futurity.org, a site that highlights research from universities.

Williams’ write-up about students Lauren Theis and Lila Kerr’s conversion of a salad spinner into a centrifuge for use in developing countries led to more than 60 media placements, including an interview with the students on CNN and the posting on Discovery News of a video that Williams produced after recording interviews with the students.

”Being a former newspaper reporter and editor, Mike has a knack for recognizing research stories that are likely to be of interest to the news media, and he’s able to write about the research in descriptive, easy-to-understand narratives,” said B.J. Almond, senior director of news and media relations. ”Although science and engineering are Mike’s main beats, he’s always willing to take on additional writing assignments in other areas.”

Williams wrote the profile of Board of Trustees Chairman Jim Crownover that appeared in Rice Magazine, and he has helped prepare remarks for University Representative Ping Sun for various speaking engagements. He has also produced a number of videos on the News and Media Relations website that supplement his articles.

”Mike combines a newsman’s sensibilities with an elegant writing style, he takes on some of the tough assignments — and he’s unflappable,” Vice President for Public Affairs Linda Thrane said. ”It’s great that someone who can distinguish what makes Rice great, and articulate it so well, is now recognized for the distinguished professional that he is.”

Williams received a certificate, a silver key chain, a gift from the university and recognition on the Human Resources website.

The Distinguished Employee Award is given by Human Resources on behalf of the university to recognize those who perform above and beyond their job descriptions for the benefit of the Rice community. Staff may be nominated for the award by their supervisor, peers or co-workers. The award is designed to honor and recognize those who are most deserving and who serve as a positive role model for Rice University staff, faculty and students.

To nominate a staff member for the Distinguished Employee Award, contact Colleen Dutton at 713-348-4755 or cdutton@rice.edu.