Following a number of substantial contributions to the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Michael Scherer with USAMRDC's U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research was named USAMRDC Employee of the Quarter on March 22.

"It's exciting to win this award," said Scherer, a program analyst who's spent the past 14 years at USAISR. "It would be more appropriate, however, to call it the "USAMRDC Team of the Quarter" award, because the achievements were the result of a team of dedicated personnel."

Scherer's notable professional efforts during the fourth quarter of 2021 included directing a series of successful financial support initiatives across the research directorate. The most important of those efforts was likely Scherer's creation of USAISR's first-ever Support Services Budget build tool, a financial instrument designed to facilitate the development of research proposals. The tool incorporates all available support services and their various capabilities into a single document, which in turn streamlines the development of proposals and enables research staff to forecast overall project cost and personnel requirements several years into the future. Ultimately, usage of the build tool will allow for faster realization of mission goals. Such innovation comes in addition to Scherer's thorough weekly reports on execution for both core and extramural funding; critical material which, when combined with his other efforts, has empowered research leaders to make key decisions regarding their specific portfolio of projects.

"There's certainly a sense of accomplishment," said Scherer, who notes that he enjoys being able to positively impact advancements in military medicine through his position. "The tools we developed to standardize research planning and execution tracking will streamline processes and improve operational efficiency, enabling USAISR to better fulfill its mission."

"He takes full responsibility for his tasks, enabling others to focus on their direct research mission both at the bench and in the office," said Lt. Col. Jonathan Stallings, deputy director of research at USAISR, about Scherer. "He has the respect of colleagues throughout the Institute, which undoubtedly contributes to his ability to operate effectively."

Stallings, who nominated Scherer for the award, also praised his ability to quickly develop solutions in the face of critical problems. For Scherer, those skills come with the territory – requirements for ensuring USAISR continues to meet the needs of command, the larger U.S. Department of Defense, and most importantly, the Warfighter.

Said Scherer, "It's the most rewarding part of my job by far – to be able to serve those who serve by optimizing casualty care."