MSU IT celebrated the exceptional contributions of staff during a special presentation of the 2024 Excellence in IT Awards on Thursday, Feb. 6 at WKAR Studios on the Michigan State University Campus. Receiving the 2024 IT Partner Award was John Furcean, Director of Research Technology and Compliance in the Office of Research and Innovation.  

The IT Partner Award is given to a true believer in partnership and is presented to an individual outside of MSU IT who has been an invaluable and collaborative partner over the past year. IT partners support the mission, vision, and values of MSU IT to enhance and enable education, advance research, expand outreach, and support university operations. 

Furcean was nominated by two individuals in IT: Executive Director for Enterprise Services Yesim Askin and Shawn Fulton from Information Security. From Furcean’s nomination: 

Through his exceptional dedication and teamwork, John has played a pivotal role in advancing the Regulated Research Enclave (RRE) Project—a groundbreaking initiative in partnership with the Office of Research and Innovation (OR&I). John has brought together multiple diverse parties across campus that have not traditionally collaborated with MSU IT. Not only does he have technical expertise but also a unique awareness of the research lifecycle. Through his work on the RRE Project, John has demonstrated unwavering support for MSU IT’s mission to advance research and bolster university operations.