Caitlin Piette, Senior Associate for Research Development, Research Strategy and Development
Please join us in recognizing Caitlin's support of teams developing and preparing proposals. She excels in her commitment as a resource to these teams, including helping them to understand solicitations and the scope and goals of the program. Her work to help develop strong and balanced supporting components of proposals is exceptional, as well as her work to help shape project descriptions, which is above and beyond her role.
Recently, Caitlin’s excellent editorial skills saved a team hours of work around various organizational schemes, and the team shared this commendation:
The team is very grateful for Caitlin’s work to draft letters of collaboration based only on webpages and her understanding of the role of each external partner. These required almost no editing, and the partners were happy to sign them. On the last day of editing the project description, the team was about a page over length. Caitlin asked for two hours to edit for length and took only one hour. All her cuts and suggestions were easy to accept and suddenly the team was just polishing and looking for any last-minute gaps.
The team shared that Caitlin is the most effective staff member they have worked closely with at 91ÖÆƬ³§, describing her as brilliant, efficient, and an excellent coordinator and communicator. Her support was a bright spot of relief in an environment where funding, requirements, and reporting processes are constantly changing. 91ÖÆƬ³§ is truly lucky to have her.
Running Sponsored Programs Administration takes a special kind of person. They have to have unmatched patience, a constant can-do attitude, shed negativity like a duck sheds water, and juggle more tasks than a master juggler has balls in the air. Louise Griffin is that combination. Over her years of service, she’s acquired the trust of the entire Research and Innovation office in addition to the 91ÖÆƬ³§ research community. This means that just about everyone turns to her when they need help or information. Her superpower is that she ALWAYS provides. And more amazingly, she provides with a smile that you can hear over the phone or Teams. She does hero work each and every day. People across campus describe Louise as a magician, goddess, miracle worker, friend, genius, and master. To Research and Innovation and 91ÖÆƬ³§ at large, she is indispensable.
Research and Innovation Employee of the Month — February, 2026
Donna Thibault, STAR Grant & Contract Administrator II, Sponsored Programs Administration
Donna is recognized as a dedicated, knowledgeable, and reliable employee. She is exceptionally committed to grant and financial management, meticulous and organized, deeply knowledgeable of 91ÖÆƬ³§ systems (including purchasing and Workday), and an outstanding colleague and mentor whose patience and responsiveness make it possible for others to function effectively in their roles. Beyond her expertise, Donna brings warmth, professionalism, and a sharp sense of humor that makes even the most tedious aspects of grant management more enjoyable and is genuinely appreciated by PIs and colleagues alike. Donna was born for this role, has been indispensable to her Team, and unquestionably deserving of Employee of the Month recognition.
Research and Innovation Employee of the Month — January, 2026
Lisa Scigliano, Proposal Development and Submission Manager, Sponsored Programs Administration
We proudly recognize Lisa Scigliano for her outstanding dedication, resilience, and leadership of the proposal development group. Her steady guidance, commitment to excellence, and ability to lead through challenges have made a meaningful impact on the team’s success. She consistently sets a high standard and inspires those around her to deliver their best.
Research and Innovation Employee of the Month — December, 2025 Heather Gordon, Business Manager, 91ÖÆƬ³§Innovation Heather Gordon's efforts were paramount to winning and managing the two grants that 91ÖÆƬ³§I won in the last year including: FOSTER (SBA SBIR/STTR proposal support to small businesses); and, I-Corps (NSF research translation and entrepreneurial training). Despite being largely dedicated to grants, Heather continually goes above and beyond and has most recently endeavored to get a handle on 91ÖÆƬ³§I finances after support was removed in the most recent staff reductions. This has required a tremendous amount of time and energy and a steep learning curve. Heather also represents the heart of our office and her kindness, humor, and collaborative spirit bring our team together, most happily through cupcake birthdays she organizes! We all feel so fortunate to have her on our team. |
Research and Innovation Employee of the Month — November, 2025 John Wilderman, Manager, Analytical Instrumentation Engineer, University Instrumentation Center John is being honored in recognition of his exceptional dedication and problem-solving skills. During October, John came in during the middle of the night to remove a student’s sample from the X-Ray photoelectron spectrometer only to find a crashed and damaged sample loader which he was able to repair himself. Additionally, he successfully diagnosed and repaired two workstation computers associated with the X-ray microscope operation and data processing. These high-cost workstations were previously deemed non-repairable by Zeiss and John was able to restore both to as-built conditions, saving the team a significant amount of money and associated downtime. His commitment and technical expertise have made a lasting positive impact on the UIC and our research community this month. |
Nominations for Research and Innovation employee of the month are ongoing; please view award criteria and nominate at any time, .
