AALAS President Chris Newcomer (left) recounts that "Twenty years ago, as a young director, I successfully recruited Ms. Hant-Yut Chin ("Sam") Wong to work as an animal technician at Tufts University. She was awarded the Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician /Cagewasher Award, a honor she highly deserved for decades of inexhaustible dedication, perfect execution on the job, and an ever-sunny demeanor."Sam is shown bracketed by her first and current (Scott Perkins) directors and the 2008 and 2009 AALAS Presidents. I personally find there are few moments in my professional life that bring as much joy as this. I have often reminded my staff that in our line of service, in order to be considered competent, we need to deliver better animal care services and research assistance on our worst day, than our clients would deliver for themselves on their best day. Sam was the kind of employee that reliably and commendably met that standard, and in terms of my own career development (and achievements) it's fair to say that Sam, and other talented and dedicated folks like her, held the ladder so I could do the climbing."
