2020 SPIE Yaver Scholarship Awarded to Society Staffer Alison Walker
BELLINGHAM, Washington, USA — SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, has awarded its third annual Yaver Scholarship to SPIE staffer Alison Walker, a marketing project manager with the organization. She intends to use the scholarship to pursue two certification courses available via Cornell University's online learning platform: a six-month Project Management Certificate, and a three-month Web Design and Development Certificate. During her studies, she'll maintain her current role with SPIE.
Walker, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, has managed marketing and technical projects for nonprofit and for-profits for more than a decade. She has worked extensively as a volunteer for political campaigns and small, low-resourced NPOs as a volunteer-team manager, by building and maintaining initiative and campaign websites, and through proactive fundraising. Her marketing-project-manager role at SPIE includes developing and managing marketing and organizational projects; collaborating with internal stakeholders to control costs and timelines; and maximizing campaign quality, effectiveness, and results.
"Working closely with the programs that encompass our community support initiatives, I have always been proud of how SPIE not only promotes the science of light, but also the professional development of our constituents," said Walker. "I am honored to receive the 2020 Yaver Scholarship, and grateful to be supported in my own career advancement. I look forward to attaining skills that will better serve SPIE and our community in advancing the applications of optics and photonics research."
The Joe and Agnete Yaver Memorial Scholarship honors the Yavers' long-term leadership at SPIE which was instrumental in the technical and financial success of the Society. It is available to SPIE Members and staff seeking an advanced degree or certification from an accredited program covering such areas such as business administration, non-profit program management, technology management, and data science and visualization.
Joe Yaver, who died in November 2016, was the innovative executive director of SPIE from 1969 to 1993. Agnete Yaver worked alongside her husband to build the foundation for the Society's current multidisciplinary and international scope, extensively advancing its mission.
An amount of US$10,000 will be awarded annually in May. Applications for next year's scholarship will be due by March 15, 2021. The Yaver Scholarship is one of several named SPIE scholarships funded by companies and individuals who partner with SPIE to serve its non-profit educational mission.
About SPIE
SPIE is the international society for optics and photonics, an educational not-for-profit organization founded in 1955 to advance light-based science, engineering, and technology. The Society serves more than 255,000 constituents from 183 countries, offering conferences and their published proceedings, continuing education, books, journals, and the SPIE Digital Library. In 2019, SPIE provided more than $5.6 million in community support including scholarships and awards, outreach and advocacy programs, travel grants, public policy, and educational resources. www.spie.org
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