UW Epidemiology staff member nominated for 2018 Distinguished Staff Award

Barbara (Barb) McLaughlin, the Grants and Contracts Manager for the Department of Epidemiology, was nominated for the University of Washington’s highest staff honor, the 2018 Distinguished Staff Award. She was joined by faculty, staff, and family to celebrate her nomination during a reception for all Distinguished Staff nominees on February 27.

Barb has been with the Department of Epidemiology for two years, but has worked at the University of Washington since the late 1980s. She is a warm and calming presence in the middle of an often stressful and fast-paced grantmaking environment.

When she started working for the Department, she inherited the bulk of the work for three NIH T32 training grant applications, on top of her full-time duties. These grants are notoriously tricky and work-intensive, typically requiring at least one person, if not a whole team, dedicated to one T32 grant application.

Despite this nearly impossible mission, Barb was able to accomplish it thanks to her innovative thinking, collaborative spirit, and expertise in the grantmaking process.

“Barb exemplifies the innovative mindset that makes the UW unique and special,” said Stephen Hawes, UW Department of Epidemiology Associate Professor and Chair. “Recently, she implemented and drafted new faculty dashboards for each of the faculty members in our department. These dashboards offer a great resource to faculty, providing them with a comprehensive overview of their overall grant and financial situations. This level of care and excellence helps promote a collaborative research and work environment in the department.”

The Distinguished Staff Award program, established in 1997, honors outstanding staff based on their extraordinary accomplishments and contributions to their departments and the University.