[MOORE] Good morning, everybody.
So 122 years ago yesterday was the birthday of Arnold Beckman. And every year at this time we
we get to come together to announce what I think is one of the most enjoyable parts of
my job. It was suggested to me when I began to think about ways that we could recognize
the people at Beckman who really have upheld what I think was the vision of Arnold Beckman when
he and Ted Brown started talking about creating a place like this.
As amazing as the architecture and the building is, I think that they realized that it was more
than just the bricks and mortar that mattered and that it was all about people first and bringing
people together. And I think the building serves the purpose to be a magnet to draw us together.
But it's really about what happens when we get together that is most important. So when it was
suggested to me that, "Why don't we have a way of recognizing the real trailblazers?" I thought
that was a wonderful idea. It happened to be the 150th year of the University and I thought
it made sense to put some dollar figure that associated 150th year with them and
get some discretionary funding to, basically, serve as an investment to think about how
those trailblazers could do even more if they had some resources available.
So $150 didn't seem like quite the right amount. But I thought $150,000 seemed a little bit better.
And with the kind of people who we knew we would be investing in, that that would make a huge
difference, not only for the individual but, more to the point, of the Beckman Institute as a whole.
Up till now, we have had six Vision and Spirit Award winners. And I think I see some
of them in the audience. I suspect they're all around. And today I'm pleased to announce that,
like nobody else, Deana has captured my interest with an amazing amount of
contagious enthusiasm for the Beckman Institute and everything that it stands for. She
and I have had a number of conversations. One of the first ones was, "You're not going to throw me
out of Beckman, are you?" And I said, "No, I'm not planning on that." She said, "Well good. Because,
if you did, I would scratch and claw with everything I have. This is my happy place."
And that was the start of some really great conversations
that led me to understand why the Beckman Institute is really Deana's 'happy place.'
And, again, it comes back to being able to bring people together. And I think that that's one of
the hallmarks of why I wanted to recognize Deana as the Vision and Spirit Award winner.
She is not only our Designer in Residence, and you'll see the work that she and Amanda Henderson
have done if you walk through the atrium. Very early on, she described to me a vision of how
the atrium could become much more of a place that really was filled with energy and filled
with excitement and how it really could become a destination that people wanted to come to. And I
think that that sparked an interest when Earl Heffley started telling me about, oh, we could,
um, punch a hole in the wall of the atrium and build an exhibit. It seemed perfectly consistent
with the kinds of ideas that Deana was suggesting. To really make Beckman a place where people wanted
to come to. Deana not only is the resident, our Designer in Residence here at Beckman,
but she's a professor in Industrial Design and Chair of Graphic Design in the School of Art
and Design. And her accomplishments and appointments are a long list.
But I would just summarize them by saying they truly span the globe. She's really touched people,
not only here locally, but I know she has worked in Australia and all over the world. So
that's what really, I think, says that anybody who knows Deana
is going to find her intellect and creativity one that they really want to tap into.
I think I already said this idea, that she has this amazing passion for Beckman. And I would say
it's contagious. If you get the opportunity to sit on a committee with Deana, you'll understand that,
you know, she has an influential voice. But she doesn't come across in a way that makes you feel
like, oh, it's her way or nothing. It's really planting seeds. And she's so good at doing that
and that's, again, a reason why I think that we have seen some of the transformations that
have taken place. She has really served amazingly well as a member of our executive committee. And
now she is on the committee to choose the next Director. And I know that that committee has done
amazing work and I look forward to seeing where it's going to lead Beckman to in the future.
So with all of those words, and the replica of the Arnold Beckman bust that's
in the Director's office, Deana come up and I'm really pleased to give
you this.
[MCDONAGH] Wow! I am so thrilled to see friends here. And I, for those of you that don't know who
I am, I just dive through the building and I throw ideas around. And I'm so fortunate to have such
an incredible director here, and team. So I want you to know for those of you that don't know me,
I live between the gaps. I live in the gap. I'm a misfit. And I do believe that the misfits of
today are the thought leaders of tomorrow. So I am an industrial designer. And I'm passionate.
And I do empathy. And when I was asked, "who should be the recipient of this award?",
without missing a heartbeat, I said, of course, Jeff Moore. And then when he told me it was me,
I was speechless. And then, when I discovered there was money attached...
I thought, I've got something wrong. Because this doesn't happen to people
like me. And so this money is a game changer. And this is one small step, it sounds nuanced,
but it's huge. The Disability Design Studio that we're going to found on the ground floor,
the first floor as you all say, this is the game changer. We are going to transform
people with disabilities from being research subjects to being researchers and contributors of
knowledge. And we start that by having friendly, non-Beckman painted colored walls... with some
groundbreaking... well we have funds to do things. And I'm thrilled that we can begin to
develop a community of misfits that are truly going to lead the Beckman
in many, many innovative ways. Let's forget with convenient samples and let's start working with
real people to solve real problems. And I can't believe I haven't cried, because this is a game
changer for me. But the funding is going to reach the very people that are underserved,
yet offer us so much. So thank you friends. I am deeply honored.
I was given one task and I forgot to say it. Um, Arnold Beckman, around the corner,
is wearing a party hat. And I promised that I would ask you all to take selfies, shameless
promotion of Arnold with his party hat. It's worth seeing. And apparently you can climb up onto him,
because I did that earlier. Okay, that's not allowed. Don't do that. So, thank you. And we,
I believe we have cupcakes. And I cannot just say, we cannot replace Jeff. It's heartbreaking that
he's going. But the changes that he's started are really an incredible legacy. So thank you, Jeff.
[MOORE]
Very well done. Excellent. Thank you.
Deana is correct. All we have to do now is enjoy one another's company over a
cupcake and a refreshment. So please enjoy and let's celebrate with Deana.