Sally Wolcott, who last year retired as the business manager of the Pritzker Nanofabrication Facility (PNF), is being recognized for her significant contributions to the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) at the University of Chicago.
Having already worked at the University of Chicago for years prior, Wolcott joined Pritzker Molecular Engineering in May 2015 and brought with her a broad knowledge of campus and the Hyde Park neighborhood. She used this experience to acclimatize new faculty and staff members from across the globe.
Wolcott also emphasized the importance of PME stakeholder success and satisfaction. She helped researchers, both in the University and in partner institutions and industry, get what they required from the PNF. Because of this, Wolcott earned PME’s 2020 Maria Lastra Award for professional excellence, which recognizes those who make a significant difference in the lives of others through their professionalism and generosity.
“Sally’s years of experience at the University and her willingness to lend a hand to anyone at the school were instrumental in forming what Pritzker Molecular Engineering is today,” said Matthew Tirrell, dean of PME. “She has always been willing to extend herself and her resources to ensure the success of students and coworkers, and it’s been a privilege for us to have worked with her.”
“Sally was our point person for all interactions with PNF users, both prospective and existing users, for the entire time she worked for the PNF,” said Prof. Andrew Cleland, the faculty director of the PNF. “We still rely on many of the processes and systems she built for the PNF, which were all built from the ground up, and we greatly appreciate and remember her tireless efforts and her willingness to go well beyond the expectations of her position.”
Wolcott regularly conducted tours of the Eckhardt Research Center (ERC) and the PNF, becoming a reliable resource for other units when prospective students and families came to visit. Her safety and equipment training meetings were well-attended, and participants were often rewarded with homemade baked goods.
“Sally is a gracious and knowledgeable coworker,” said Mary Pat McCullough, executive assistant and program manager for space, buildings, and infrastructure. “She was willing to explain how accomplishing a given task was determined, allowing mentees to learn alternative paths that may be more effective in other circumstances.”
Among students, Wolcott is known not only for facility expertise but also for helping build a vibrant, fun community among researchers. She helped form the musical group The Phonons for PNF staff and users, and organized celebrations, photo competitions, and more.
“Sally really, truly loved the PNF and the students she worked with, and that is evident in how fantastic and pleasant a place the PNF has been to work in over the years,” said postdoctoral scholar Elizabeth Michiko Ashley, who worked with Wolcott as a PhD student. “I would often stop by her office to chat, and sometimes would have extended chats with her just in the stairwell or the hallway.”
In honor of Wolcott’s extensive contributions to the school, Bay 3 of the PNF will be named after her.