This years winner doesnt have communications anywhere in his title. Still, he has been a brand ambassador for the campus across the nation and all around the world. When an earthquake devastated Japan in March of this year, the News Bureau needed an expert source to help media understand what the storm would mean for nuclear reactors and nuclear safety.
As big stories often do, this one happened on a Friday, and it was clear that whoever answered the call would be fielding reporters’ questions all that day and well into the weekend.
And that’s exactly what happened. Our news bureau director, Jeff Unger, reached out to Professor Jim Stubbins, who graciously agreed to help us. Over the next several days, he conducted interviews with dozens of media outlets – large, small, national, local, international, newspaper, radio, television, internet – and with each one he patiently explained the science involved in nuclear reactors. He was quoted by CBS News, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, the Huffington Post, KMOX radio, Global News Online out of Toronto, the New Zealand Herald the Hindu of India and many, many more.
For many news organizations, Professor Stubbins AND the University of Illinois became the go-to source for accurate and understandable explanations of what was happening in our world. He continued to appear in follow-up stories for weeks and weeks, and he’s maintained his composure and professionalism no matter who is calling or what they might ask, and he meets reporters’ tight – and often inconvenient – deadlines every time. He is our Media Relations hero, and we are honored to recognize him.