Tech’s Top Staff Honor: Stacey Bass Wins Spirit of Georgia Tech Award

Stacey Bass, who leads grants administration for 55 researchers across the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and the School of Psychology, has won one of the highest honors awarded to Georgia Tech staff members.

Stacey Bass receives this year’s Spirit of Georgia Tech Award from the Institute’s Department of Human Resources, “by being a shining emblem of operational effectiveness through constant improvement, shared insights, strategic teamwork, and creative disruption, when necessary,” says J. Candice Bovian, Human Resources Program Manager for Employee Wellbeing and Engagement.

“I’m honored to receive the Spirit of Georgia Tech award and grateful to my schools for the nomination,” Bass says. “I feel very lucky to work in schools who have always been supportive of me and appreciative of my work. I’m especially grateful to be associated with Georgia Tech’s mission and values, and to be seen as an effective and positive contributor in the workplace.”

As grants administrator lead for both schools, Bass provides direction, support, and advice for 55 faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students in obtaining and managing research funding.

“I oversee proposal development and submission, explore funding opportunities, and assist with post-award oversight, in conjunction with the schools’ finance offices,” she says.

Bass also serves as a point of contact for the central Office of Sponsored Programs, as well as research administrators at other institutions and, on occasion, funding agencies. Overall, grant administrators oversee proposal submissions to ensure compliance with sponsor guidelines, and to strengthen the case for obtaining funding. Both of these roles directly and indirectly support Sciences research, which strengthens institutional infrastructure.

Kim Cobb, Georgia Power Chair and ADVANCE Professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, nominated Bass for the award. “Stacey is a shining emblem of operational effectiveness through constant improvement, making outsized contributions to Georgia Tech’s progress,” Cobb says. “At the same time, she works with humility and a sense of community that is embodied in the word ‘service’. Indeed, she is the closest thing I can think of to a walking embodiment of the Georgia Tech motto."

“As our faculty members know, Stacey is an invaluable colleague and collaborator in the grant seeking process,” says Mark Wheeler, School of Psychology chair and professor.