Celebrating Excellence: Toby Tung Wins the Outstanding NNCI Staff Member Award!
We are thrilled to announce that one of our lab managers, Toby Tung, has been honored with the prestigious Outstanding NNCI Staff Member Award! This award recognizes the exceptional efforts of NNCI site staff members who go above and beyond to provide outstanding service and support to our network users.
The AIF is part of the Research Triangle Nanotechnology Network (RTNN), which is 1 of 16 sites that make up the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI). Toby won this award across all NNCI sites and was selected for the Technical Staff category.
Nominated by Nina Balke (AIF director) and Phillip Strader (RTNN manager) and selected by the NNCI External Advisory Board, Toby stood out among many talented colleagues. This recognition underscores his unwavering commitment to excellence and the impact he has made in AIF and NC State University.
“There are not enough awards and recognition in the world to fully describe how important Toby is to AIF, NC State, and RTNN. Whether there’s a technical issue, a user in need, or an outreach event, Toby can do it all with a smile on his face. If I ever need help, he’s one of the first I think of that can get something done. Every facility would be better with a Toby on their staff…and we’ve got the only one!” – Phillip Strader, RTNN Manager
Toby also received the prestigious Pride of the Wolfpack award in 2022. This esteemed accolade honors individuals who embody the core values of the university, and Toby’s exceptional commitment to his responsibilities and outstanding performance made him a deserving recipient of this recognition. You can read more about this award here.
Toby was chosen from a highly competitive, site-diverse pool of candidates from across the NNCI network, which spans the entire country. His pivotal role in AIF operations, coupled with his unwavering commitment to outreach and education, has made a lasting impact on both current and future users. Toby’s daily impact on faculty, users, and colleagues make him one of AIF’s most valuable assets, and we are proud to see his work recognized with this prestigious award. If you have a chance, make sure to stop by and congratulate Toby.
– Nina Balke, AIF director
He regularly contributes to and organizes outreach events for AIF and the RTNN, teaching K-12 students about science during summer camps and school visits. Recent examples include the STEMcx group, a group of students from under-served communities, and the Homeschool Experience group, which helps connect homeschool students to universities and learn about STEM.
To steal from a certain playwright who concocted one of the most famous soliloquies in the English language, here at the AIF we ask ourselves, “Toby or not Toby?” a dozen times a day. When do we call Toby in for help? The answer is always, as Toby has both an animal magnetism that electrons and ions deeply respect and fear, prompting their best behavior, and an endless reserve of knowledge of how to repair anything. If we’re all cogs in a machine, then Toby is the planetary gear around which the daily operation of AIF revolves. More importantly and more crucially, Toby’s eagerness to help extends to every single user of the AIF. If you need training, service work, help with your results, scheduling assistance, IT services, instrument disaster recovery, life advice, or cookie test tasting, Toby is there to help you. He’s kind, patient. and efficient, and everyone that works with Toby at the AIF and throughout the massive NNCI network knows they are in good hands.
– Chris Winkler, AIF TEM lab manager
Join Us in Celebrating
We invite everyone to join us in congratulating Toby on this remarkable achievement! His efforts have not only advanced our mission but have also inspired those around him. We are proud to have Toby as part of our team and look forward to seeing his continued success in the future.
Stay tuned for more updates as Toby prepares to represent us at the upcoming NNCI Annual Conference. Let’s celebrate this well-deserved recognition together!
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