The CLASSE Vacuum Group is recognized at the CLASSE Summer Picnic. Left to right, CHESS Director Joel Brock, Vacuum Group: Brian Kemp, Peter McKay, Yulin Li, and Mike Palmer 

These awards recognize individuals and teams who go above and beyond to advance the mission of CLASSE and CHESS, whether through technical excellence, innovation, safety leadership, or collaborative spirit.

The response to the first call for nominations was outstanding—so many, in fact, that nominees were grouped into categories. From each group, one individual or team was selected for special recognition, receiving a certificate and a Cornell fleece in honor of their contributions.

"It was a great pleasure reading through the nominations," said CLASSE Director Nigel Lockyer. "They showcased the incredible depth of talent and dedication across all of CLASSE. We’re excited to continue this tradition at future gatherings."

Congratulations to all the nominees—and a special round of applause for our 2025 Summer Awardees:

CESR / Accelerator

Peter Quigley
For tirelessly maintaining the complex and sensitive Superconducting RF cavities for CESR with unmatched expertise and care.

X-ray Science

Keith Surrena
Recognized for developing “Flyscan” data collection protocols that transformed how X-ray data is acquired at CHESS—now a core part of many beamlines.

IT

Devin Bougie
For unwavering 24/7/365 support of CLASSE’s IT infrastructure and leading the development of a next-generation storage model.

Projects

Sasha Temnykh
Honored for the patented design and implementation of cost-effective insertion devices (CCU, SCCU), which enable world-class synchrotron X-ray capabilities.

Safety

Kate Miller, Carol Holic, Sam White, Kyle Edele, Lee Dorsey, and James Drake
Celebrated for their leadership in electrical safety, work planning, and improving safety systems and culture across CLASSE.

Indomitable Spirit

Vacuum Group: Mike Palmer, Peter McKay, Brian Kemp, and Yulin Li
For their heroic repair of the synchrotron’s vacuum system following a major water leak—demonstrating resourcefulness, grit, and teamwork under pressure.

These awards reflect the heart of our organization—people who lead with integrity, solve hard problems, and lift up their colleagues along the way.

We look forward to recognizing more outstanding contributors at our end-of-year gathering. Thanks again to everyone who submitted nominations and helped make this new tradition a success.