Dr. Linda Graves, UMPI professor of Medical Laboratory Technology and co-director of the Medical Laboratory Program of Maine, was presented with the Pine Tree Award during the Northeast Laboratory Conference held in late October 2008. The award, presented by the American Medical Technologists, the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science of Maine, and the Clinical Laboratory Managers Association, was given in recognition of Graves’ many years of professional service to the medical laboratories of the Northeast.
The organizations present the Pine Tree Award once a year to two people who have made significant contributions and had a major impact on the field of Medical Technology in the Northeast. The award can be given to educators, laboratory managers and medical technologists.
Graves was recognized for the hundreds of MLT students that she has educated during her 32 years of teaching at UMPI. She also has written three books: Case Studies in Clinical Laboratory Science (2001); Outline Review of Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology (2003); and the forthcoming Clinical Chemistry (2009). On top of this, Graves has served as the co-director of the Medical Laboratory Program of Maine since 2002. She co-directs the program with Margaret “Peetie” Charette – a former UMPI MLT program graduate who now teaches in Augusta and is affiliated with the University of Maine at Augusta. Charette nominated Graves for the award.
Graves said it was a surprise and a great honor for her to accept the award.
“I’ve seen other educators and medical technologists that I admire receive this award,” Graves said. “But I think the best highlight for me was getting the chance afterward to visit with some of the graduates of my program who were at the conference. I had one student I hadn’t seen in 20 years who caught me up on her career. Receiving this award really made me sit back and think about all the students that have gone through the MLT program. It’s just been a rewarding 32 years.”