At the University of Georgia’s Center for Food Safety, the staff behind the scenes keep everything running smoothly. One of those key staff members is research technician Amy Mann.
Dedicated to CFS
Mann has worked on the UGA Griffin campus for 24 years, with the past nine years spent as a research technician in the bioinformatics lab, which she supports by preparing equipment and conducting laboratory experiments and research.
Her dedication earned her the 2024 CFS Employee of the Year Award and she was also nominated as the center’s representative for the 2025 Classified Employee of the Year Award. Recipients of these awards are chosen for their contributions to the center in their role and their impact on the campus beyond it.
Campus and Community Involvement
Mann is heavily involved in the connection between the campus and the Griffin community. One of her passions is community service and making an impact on people.
Mann is a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and has helped build and renovate homes around the community. She has helped work on four houses so far this year.
Another passion of Mann’s is crocheting and she hosts Campus Stitches on campus twice a month, a group event where she shares her passion for crocheting and knitting with attendees and teaches them how to crochet handmade blankets for people in need. Six blankets have been created by one participant, and a block has been created by many people collaborating in the group.
“I enjoy meeting new people from different places and learning new things,” said Mann, who enjoys crocheting quilts and bags. She also enjoys traveling, adding that the destination gets bonus points if she can find a nearby fabric store.
“I like to go anywhere new,” Mann said.
Life Before UGA
Mann grew up on 80 acres in DeKalb County, where she developed her love for animals. She still volunteers with animal rescues in her free time.
“I had a lot of different pets, including ducks named Quick and Quack,” Mann remarked, adding that Quick and Quack had an odd quirk. “They wouldn’t go into the lake,” she said, adding that they preferred to swim in their plastic pool.
Creating Community
Mann has stayed in Griffin because of its diverse people, experiences and projects — and the opportunity to keep learning. She cited the close-knit campus community and its continued growth as reasons she and her husband, David, a research professional at CFS, have remained.
“Building a strong community requires participation and effort,” said Mann, “If you want it to thrive, you have to contribute where you can instead of waiting and hoping someone else will.