Allison Jones, Program Coordinator for Mechanical Engineering in the Northern Virginia Center, has received the 2022 Virginia Tech Outstanding Staff Award for the greater Washington, D.C., metro area. The award is given annually to recognize the excellence of one recipient among all the Virginia Tech staff working in the Washington DC metro area.

Jones distinguished herself by going over and above her job description to bolster the graduate program for the Department of Mechanical Engineering, support of the nuclear engineering division of the department, and by playing a significant role in launching a webinar series for the department’s diversity committee.

“When we decided to start a webinar series on nuclear energy advancements and issues, Allison volunteered to help without being asked,” commented Professor Alireza Haghighat. “She simply assumed responsibility to set up a webinar environment, advertise the webinar, and make sure the events were conducted smoothly. Over the past two years, I have received numerous complementary comments from colleagues nationally and internationally. This activity has provided an excellent service to the nuclear community and general public and increased the visibility of our nuclear engineering program.”

Jones has also played a crucial role in the general promotion of the department, taking the lead in scheduling and coordinating the department’s presence at conferences such as Sea Air Space and the International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition. In preparation for those events, she contributed significantly to the outreach strategy and marketing materials to be used in the effort.

“I am honored to have received this award, and consider the other nominees to be the finest company,” said Jones. “The expansion of Virginia Tech to the Washington, DC, area has been exciting to watch, and I am thrilled to be able to play my part in helping it come to life.”

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