The Research and Academic Safety Committee has awarded five faculty and staff members for their commitment to maintaining a safe research environment at the University of Michigan.

The recipients received a $500 honorarium and were recognized last month at the Research Safety First summit, which brought together safety accountability liaisons from across the university to discuss best practices and ways to improve the culture of safety on campus.

The committee established the awards to celebrate the efforts and achievements of staff and faculty members who have prioritized safety in their daily work.

“These awardees are just a few of the many on our campus dedicated to maintaining safe laboratories, shops and studios,” said Karl Jepsen, chair of the Research and Academic Safety Committee and research associate dean for the Medical School, and professor of biomedical engineering the College of Engineering and the Medical School.

“I cannot express enough how vital and impactful the standards they exemplify are in supporting our mission and values as a university.”

Four faculty and staff members, representing a range of roles and responsibilities, received the Excellence in Research Safety Award for their work implementing and supporting programs that maintain and enhance safety culture in their spaces. The recipients include:

• Charles Bradley, instrument maker, College of Engineering.
• Nicole Crandall, safety and facilities officer, College of Pharmacy.
• Amanda Garner, Charles Walgreen Jr. Professor and professor of medicinal chemistry, College of Pharmacy.
• Sarah Lawson, laboratory and research safety manager, Medical School.

Colleen Flanagan, research area specialist senior in the College of Engineering, received the Excellence in Innovation Award for her efforts to translate complex biomedical research protocols into safe, efficient procedures that are accessible to researchers throughout her lab.

“Without the dedicated work of countless individuals throughout campus, our research safety space couldn’t operate at the truly impressive scale that is standard at the University of Michigan,” said Danielle Sheen, assistant vice president for environment, health & safety and adjunct lecturer of environmental health sciences in the School of Public Health.

“Safety is a core value at our university and the efforts of our faculty, staff and students are central to U-M’s goal to serve the world through research.”