Welcome to the newest issue of Impact! This issue highlights the important contributions of our faculty and staff and your ongoing commitment to improving health for the people of Texas and around the world.
In particular, this edition includes an article on the annual Employee Service Day celebration in mid-May where we honored more than 1,700 employees who achieved significant service milestones and 656 GEM card recipients. The event also honored four remarkable employees who have each dedicated more than four decades of service to the university and introduced the winner of this year’s Nicholas and Katherine Leone Award for Administrative Excellence, a tremendous recognition for a manager or supervisor who displays the highest degree of professionalism.
To stay in touch with each of you on an ongoing basis, I recently launched a video update called “Pulse.” In the month since it began, I’ve received numerous questions about our current financial challenges and the steps we’re taking to reduce our expenses while increasing revenues. I cover these topics—among others—in the videos. You can view the updates at https://www.utmb.edu/president/pulse.
As always, Impact includes numerous articles that highlight the great work you’re doing to advance our mission areas. Among them:
A day in the life of Greg Gaona, UTMB Police Department detective, criminal intelligence officer and K9 officer
How two teams—Courier Services and Environmental Services—are doing their part to contribute to our Best Care initiative
A closer look at a new Ebola study that has identified antibodies that could be used to design universal therapeutics
The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences honors graduates at commencement
The latest installment of Hidden Talent, where we profile employees’ pursuits outside of our institution
Numerous accomplishments and kudos in the Working Wonders column and throughout the newsletter
If you have ideas for future issues of the newsletter, please let the Impact team know. Thank you!
Dr. David L. Callender
UTMB President