Staff Spotlight

  1. January 29, 2007

    Spotlight: Nurse saves lives one flight at a time

    For many U-M employees, a typical day consists of eight hours of work in an Ann Arbor office building. (Photo by Scott Galvin, U-M Photo Services) For Survival Flight nurse Jeff Pietsch, a typical day lasts at least 12 hours and may take him from this side of the state to the other side of…
  2. January 22, 2007

    Spotlight: Fitness as a way of life, not just a job

    In an environment full of stress and long work days, sometimes a trip to the gym is all that is needed to relax and recharge. At least that’s what Deb Webb believes. Webb, the senior associate director for the Department of Recreational Sports, works at the Central Campus Recreation Building (CCRB), where she oversees the…
  3. January 15, 2007

    Spotlight: Conservator has a passion for papyrus

    The Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library is not just a place to quietly study or check out books. Its eighth floor also is home to one of the largest papyrus collections in the Western Hemisphere. (Photo by Scott Galvin, U-M Photo Services) Although papyrus, made from the stems of papyrus plants, was used 5,000 years ago…
  4. January 8, 2007

    Spotlight: Collection coordinator, family help count Christmas kettle contents

    Ever wonder if the spare change you drop into a Salvation Army kettle on your way into a store to do holiday shopping really makes a difference? (Photo by Jennifer Sroka, U-M-Dearborn) When enough people take the time to donate, those dollars and coins can quickly add up to make quite a large dent in…
  5. December 11, 2006

    Spotlight: There’s nothing else he ‘wood’ rather be doing

    Why buy an expensive set of kitchen cabinets when you can build them yourself at no cost? Operating his sawmill en route to his latest furniture creation is steam fitter Tom Wynn. (Photo by Todd McKinney) That’s the way Tom Wynn, a steam fitter in the Mechanical Systems Department, Plant Operations Division, sees it. “There’s…
  6. December 4, 2006

    Spotlight: Lab specialist’s music harmonizes with work, life

    Thomas Goss is a senior research lab specialist at the University, but for the hundreds of people who walk across the heart of campus every day, he is the man emanating show tunes, television theme music and other popular songs from his harmonica. (Photo by Scott Galvin, U-M Photo Services) Goss has been conducting molecular…
  7. November 20, 2006

    Spotlight: Science and ceramics

    Most people find it difficult to combine two of their great interests into a rewarding and exciting career. For Adele Barres, the University not only enabled her to pursue her love of science and art, but also eventually introduced her to the world of ceramics. The first of those interests forms the basis of her…
  8. November 13, 2006

    Spotlight: Radio fan joins WCSX advisory board; station wraps her ride in classic rock art

    It pays to listen to the radio. That’s what Vestine Chilcutt realized 20 years ago when she started listening to 94.7 WCSX-FM and winning numerous contests, including a prize package worth $600 and a large number of concert tickets. Since then, she has advanced to actually taking part in the station’s operation. (Photo by Scott…
  9. November 6, 2006

    Spotlight: OSEH worker scores a trip ‘fore’ two to Ryder Cup

    Most golf fanatics only dream of obtaining tickets to the Ryder Cup, a biennial golf tournament held in different places around the world. For Tim Cullen, an environmental manager in the Occupational Safety and Environmental Health (OSEH) Department, that dream became a reality in September. Tim Cullen (left) and his brother, Pat, take a break…
  10. October 30, 2006

    Spotlight: Foreman raises working-class dogs

    A typical day for Dave Wilson begins at 4 a.m., when he wakes up to let his dogs out. (Photo by Ryan Wilson) Wilson is an outside plant foreman at the University, a job that requires him to be in the office by 5:30 a.m. so he can install, repair, maintain and work to prevent…