Merrie Shaw Awarded UF Superior Accomplishment Honor

Assistant Director Merrie Shaw has been named a UF Superior Accomplishment award winner for her outstanding service at UF Innovate | Sid Martin Biotech. UF President Kent Fuchs and Vice President Jodi Gentry honored Merrie and other Division One nominees at a reception March 5 at the Earl and Christy Powell University House.

The award program recognizes staff members who are nominated by their peers because they “contribute outstanding and meritorious service, efficiency and/or economy, or to the quality of life provided to students and employees.”

“Merrie Shaw definitely embodies all of the characteristics of the UF Superior Accomplishment Award,” said Mark Long, director of incubation services at UF. “UF Innovate | Sid Martin Biotech is the only incubator in the world that has been awarded ‘Global Incubator of the Year’ twice – in 2013 and again in 2017. Merrie Shaw is the consistent element for both of those awards.”

Shaw began work as the manager at Sid Martin in 2005, serving under then-director Patti Breedlove, before becoming Assistant Director in 2015 and working with Breedlove’s successor, Long.

“Merrie is dedicated to the success of our clients,” Long added. “She definitely goes ‘above and beyond’ to ensure clients at Sid Martin Biotech receive the ‘best of the best’ when it comes to benefitting from their association with the University of Florida through residency at Sid Martin.”

UF Innovate | Sid Martin Biotech, located in Alachua, offers quality laboratory space, conference and training rooms, animal facilities, greenhouses and more than $1.5 million of shared scientific equipment to biotechnology startup companies. In addition to facilities and equipment, the business incubator provides advice, mentoring and opportunity for investment to the early-stage bioscience companies that choose to grow at Sid Martin.

The Superior Accomplishment Awards program started Sept. 11 and accepted nominations through Oct. 31. Employees were nominated based on their outstanding service in their fields during the academic year of Aug. 1, 2016 through July 31, 2017. UF Division-level award recipients received $200 in addition to a certificate and university memento. Shaw and other division-level awardees now compete for university-level awards (eight $1,000 and eight $2,000 cash awards plus an opportunity to attend a UF football game in the president’s box this season).

By: Sara Dagen