Employee of the Year

 EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARD

The Employee of the Year Award is for an administrative faculty member who embodies Mines’ mission, produces quality work, and consistently displays characteristics valued and appreciated through their every-day job expectations.

Nominations for 2027 will be accepted in the Spring 2027 Semester.

2026

Kimberly Walker

Department Manager for Engineer Design & Society

Recognition: Kimberly embodies the Mines mission through sustained excellence, exceptional judgment, and commitment to service.  As Department Manager, she oversees complex academic, financial, and operational systems. She supports multiple academic programs, including Cornerstone Design. She is the primary manager of the department’s operating budget and monitors dozens of additional accounts. She works closely with the department’s 17 faculty, dozens of adjuncts, and dozens of student workers, supporting the education of over 1,600 students enrolled in department courses annually. She executes this work with exceptional efficiency, attention to detail, and foresight: ensuring courses are scheduled, budgets are accurate, records are precise, requirements are fulfilled, and problems are resolved before they escalate. Her approach is deeply person-centered, and she weighs decisions for their downstream impacts, especially for student success. In an environment where minor oversights can have enormous consequences, her work consistently engenders interpersonal trust, operational continuity, and institutional integrity. 

2025

Lakshmi Krishna

Director of Undergraduate Research Scholars

Recognition: I have directly worked with Lakshmi Krishna since her arrival at Mines as a postdoctoral scholar in 2011 in my group. While a postdoc, it was clear that she was deeply committed to the process of undergraduate research and to the success of every student she mentored. Honestly, she would de-prioritize her own research goals to make sure the students had the best summer experience. Her involvement in my Bridge Opportunities for Transfer Students (BOTS) program was critical to my appointment as the Ben Fryrear Chair. With a mission to transform how undergraduate research happens on campus, my first goal was to create a permanent administrative position for a Director of Undergraduate Research at Mines. When Lakshmi competed for this position, it was clear that she had an immense amount of lived experience mentoring student at all levels and a passion for the job. Fast forward to 2025 and the decision to hire Lakshmi speaks for itself. Between FIRST, MURF, SURF, VIPER, Beckman Scholars, and the associated Undergraduate Research Symposium and Reuleaux, Mines has been transformed. This to not even include the ~10 other roles she serves on campus. I want to emphasize how transformative these undergraduate research programs are for both students and the faculty. Not all faculty have grant money that supports significant (or any) undergraduate research and I know from within my own department (Physics) that there are many faculty whose research programs benefit greatly from multiple years of MURF/SURF support — projects ranging from building quantum devices and tested them at milli-Kelvin temperatures to designing and launched giant balloon-based astrophysics detectors to studying materials for renewable energy applications. These successes are a direct result of Lakshmi’s creation of an integrated pipeline of research on campus that truly elevates our students’ experiences.

Lindsay Buyserie
Budget & Financial Planning, Assistant Director

Recognition: As her supervisor, I receive numerous comments and emails about Lindsay’s exceptional performance on campus through her work in the Budget office. In requesting supporting nominations for Lindsay to be this year’s Employee of the Year, nearly everyone I contacted responded with enthusiasm to submit a nomination for her candidacy. That does not happen unless you embody Mines’ mission daily, produce exceptionally high-quality work, and exceed everyday job expectations. This year, in particular, she completed her duties and the work of three staff members due to openings and other circumstances while being part of the lead support for Workday implementation, training, and corrections. She prepares herself and her staff to be great financial consultants and deliver extraordinary customer service to campus units, specifically in Academic Affairs. The information and recommendations she provides unit leaders allow them to make timely and thoughtful decisions. Without her support, most academic departments would struggle to budget their resources or plan for the future. Lindsay’s peers in central finance, human resources, and system units heavily rely on her expertise in business processes and efficiency improvements. They highly appreciate her collaborative nature and willingness to solve challenging issues. As a supervisor, I know the importance of good team members working effectively across disciplines. Great team members can raise a department’s performance even higher, which Lindsay does for our Budget team. I can honestly say Lindsay is one of the best I have worked with in higher education, and Mines is hugely fortunate to have her working to meet our mission as an institution.