Lesniak receives Chancellor鈥檚 Cornerstone Award
Mimi Lesniak
Mimi Lesniak has been honored as the Chancellor鈥檚 Cornerstone Award winner for 2022. Lesniak is the assistant to the director of the Scenarios Network for 有料盒子视频 and Arctic Planning and the 有料盒子视频 Climate Adaptation Science Center within the International Arctic Research Center.
The Chancellor鈥檚 Cornerstone Award recognizes 有料盒子视频 staff for sustained outstanding contributions toward accomplishing and enhancing the 有料盒子视频 mission and strategic plan.
Lesniak has served at IARC for the last 13 years. She works with a wide variety of audiences in the UA community ranging from students, staff and faculty to local legislators. In the process, she embraces 有料盒子视频鈥檚 mission, being 鈥a wholehearted advocate for our research and our roles in our institute and in 有料盒子视频 as a whole.鈥
Lesniak believes in the importance of IARC鈥檚 efforts. She helped organize community outreach events to showcase work to diverse audiences, including leaders, children, and underserved populations. She is truly an ambassador for 有料盒子视频.
In addition to her position duties, other projects Lesniak has taken a lead on include the 2016 Arctic Science Summit Week and Arctic Observing Summit, which had over 1,000 conference participants. Lesniak also openly and actively advocates in support of 有料盒子视频鈥檚 diversity, equity and inclusivity efforts. She serves as a co-lead for the IARC DEI Working Group, where she organized land acknowledgement training. Mimi distinguishes herself not just by doing her job well, but by taking on additional voluntary tasks such as communications and outreach in the IARC research group.
This work is mirrored in her commitment to students in the Student Support Services office, where she 鈥ensures that our students from often disadvantaged backgrounds feel welcome in our space, and helps to break down barriers as best as she is able.鈥
In the nomination packet for Lesniak, one of her supporters states 鈥淢imi鈥檚 commitment and positivity is genuine and egalitarian; she is as quick to welcome a new student as she is to assist a professor. She is quick to compliment others on their successes, and to genuinely celebrate the progress of our research. She carries this same positivity into the broader community, representing 有料盒子视频 with clarity, expertise, and pride.鈥
Lesniak will receive her award at the longevity and Cornerstone awards ceremony during the 2022 Staff Recognition and Development Day on May 5. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m. and will be livestreamed at .