Anassa Kata! Making Their Mark

Astrophysicist Tonima Tasnim Ananna ’13 has been named one of Science News’ 2020 Scientists to Watch. According to the citation, Ananna has drawn “the most complete picture yet of black holes across the universe—where they are, how they grow and how they affect their environments. And she did it with the help of artificial intelligence.” A postdoc at Dartmouth College, she recently cofounded Wi-STEM, a mentorship network for Bangladeshi women in science, technology, engineering, and math.

The Oregon Bar Association has selected Cheryl Coon ’74 for the 2020 Award of Merit, which “recognizes an Oregon lawyer who has made outstanding contributions to the bench, the bar and the community at large, and who exhibits the highest standards of professionalism.” Coon works through Refugee Disability Benefits Oregon to represent disabled refugees and immigrants (including those who have become U.S. citizens).

Laura Brower Hagood ’95 was named executive director of the Historical Society of Washington D.C. this spring. It’s a homecoming of sorts for Hagood, who first worked at HSW as director of public relations and marketing under the leadership of Barbara Franco ’65. Previously, she served as vice president of development at the National Building Museum and worked at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, and at Cultural Tourism D.C.

Deborah M. Lerner ’73 has been selected for inclusion in the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. A partner in the labor, employment and workers’ compensation firm Willig, Williams & Davidson, Lerner specializes in employee benefits law and employment, pension, and benefit issues. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law and on the editorial board of the Journal of Taxation of Exempt Organizations.

Soohyun Stephanie Hahn ’12, a student at the George Washington University Law School, has received one of the inaugural Sharon and Ivan Leadership (SAIL) Scholarships from the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Law Foundation. The award recognizes outstanding professional promise and leadership potential. A member of the George Washington Law Review, Hahn is a George Washington Scholar (top 15 percent of the class) and president of the Law, Justice, and International Development Society.

Dr. Hania Al-Hallaq ’94 has been elected a fellow of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, a position that honors those who have made distinguished contributions to the medical physics community in research, education, or leadership. Al-Hallaq received her Ph.D. in medical physics from the University of Chicago. An associate professor there, she has taught graduate courses, mentored 11 Ph.D. dissertation students and physics residents, and co-authored 49 publications and four book chapters focusing on IGRT for breast radiotherapy and the use of radiomics to detect radiation treatment-related toxicities.

Maya Ajmera ’89 has received the National Science Foundation’s 2020 Public Service Award for her role as president and CEO of the Society for Science & the Public and publisher of Science News. Ajmera has helped transform the society, strengthening its science research competitions and investing $11 million in STEM outreach and equity programming. As publisher of Science News, she saved the society’s flagship magazine by creating a new education pillar and expanding access to the publication to 5,000 high schools across the country.