Marie Dickerson is the 2022 recipient of the Outstanding Staff Award, presented by the CAFNR Staff Advisory Council as part of CAFNR’s Celebration of Excellence April 19. Marie, a research specialist senior, has worked in the Division of Biochemistry for 10 years.

Since 2015, she has served as building coordinator for buildings managed by Biochemistry, as well as supported undergraduate teaching laboratories with preparation for faculty-designed activities. She is the departmental liaison to MU Environmental Health and Safety, a critically important job when each lab has safety protocols that must be meticulously followed and kept up to date.

Marie serves as point person for maintenance and repair of scientific instruments, as well as for infrastructure needs. She served as departmental liaison to the campus COVID-19 team, helping develop procedures and protocols for re-occupation of labs and common-space instrument rooms in summer 2020, in addition to ensuring lab equipment remained functioning when campus was closed.

“The work she does assists faculty, staff and students alike,” her nominators said. “She had the foresight to research and order KN95 masks for all of CAFNR so our students could come back in-person to labs, farms and other experiential learning opportunities. In short, she was the single person most responsible for the Department fulfilling its responsibilities in teaching and research through the pandemic.

“She does all of this with no fanfare. She does tasks without having to be asked; she can sense what will be in the best interest of others and takes the initiative to do it. She goes above and beyond daily to ensure the safety and security of the work environment for all of Biochemistry.”