Donna Cronister, administrative services manager for the Radiological Sciences Laboratory (RSL), was honored at a reception last night as this year’s recipient of the Marsh O’Neill Award. Associate Dean of Research and Emeritus Chemistry Prof. John Brauman presented the award on behalf of Vice Provost and Dean of Research Ann Arvin.

Since 1990, the Dean of Research Office has given the Marsh O’Neill Award annually to a staff member who has provided exceptional support for research at the University, explained Ann George, assistant dean of research and graduate policy. A $3,000 prize accompanies the award.

According to George, faculty members submit nominations for the award, and this year, Cronister received nominations from eight different faculty members.

“From reading her nominations,” George said, “it seems clear that Donna has done an extraordinary job managing a large research center.”

This year’s selection committee included professors from the departments of engineering, medicine and humanities and sciences, as well as former laboratory director Marsh O’Neill, after whom the award is named. O’Neill has served on the committee every year since the award’s inception.

Cronister was surprised to find that she was the winner of this year’s award.

“I work with so many great people throughout the University, all of whom are talented, dedicated and hard working,” she said. “It seems that everybody at Stanford works at such a frenetic pace to get things done, I feel so honored that eight faculty members took the time in their busy schedules to write letters of support.”

Cronister, who has worked in the RSL since the lab opened in 1990, manages the administrative side of the laboratory. She is also the administrative manager for the magnetic resonance imaging service center housed in the Richard M. Lucas Center for Imaging.

According to many of Cronister’s colleagues, however, her official title does not adequately represent her role at the University.

“Donna’s commitment to the Department of Radiology, to Stanford and to all researchers from tenured professor to graduate student makes her a role model for all of us,” said Anne Marie Sawyer, manager of the MR Whole Body Research Systems at RSL. “The knowledge and wisdom that she possesses due to her diligent undertaking makes her a most valuable resource for our department.”

“We would be in big jeopardy without her,” added Roland Bammer, assistant professor of research at RSL. “I hope she will never retire or otherwise we’ll be in big limbo. She is basically the glue of the lab and takes care of so many things we become only aware of if she is on vacation or out sick and realize how many balls she has to juggle to make the lab run so smoothly.”

Luckily for Bammer, Cronister sounds as though she has no plans of leaving any time soon.

“Being recognized and appreciated for the work one does is truly a warm feeling,” she said, “and just makes you want to knuckle down and do more.”