Staff receive Distinction Awards

Every year, a handful of Tufts employees receive Distinction Awards, recognizing them for their exceptional dedication to helping students, colleagues, and Tufts programs succeed. This year, two engineering staff members were recognized for their innovative work pioneering in brand new roles at Tufts.

Colleagues nominated Briana Bouchard of the Department of Mechanical Engineering for going above and beyond in her role as the first department-based student advisor in the School of Engineering. Drawing on her own experiences as a Tufts alum (E14, EG18), she helps students with everything from registering for classes to working through academic challenges and providing practical life advice. At the same time, Briana serves as a point of contact for the department as a whole and contributes her sharp eye and strong work ethic to projects as varied as the department website, the graduate admissions process, and departmental alumni engagement.

Program administrator Amy Wilson was nominated for helping to build and implement all of the Center for Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences’ systems as a fledgling research center. As the Center’s first (and only, for a time) full-time staff member, she efficiently handled the initiation of more than 30 new cross-disciplinary research projects involving Tufts faculty, while managing a student internship program. Bringing a collaborative, can-do spirit to her work, Amy has built vital connections between the Center’s Tufts and Army partners, and is the go-to point person for the Center.

The School of Engineering is proud to congratulate Briana and Amy on their well-deserved Distinction Awards.