Hanein ’14 Recognized as NOAA Team Member of the Month
SMEA alumna Adi Hanein ’14 was recognized recently as NOAA’s Team Member of the Month. While studying at SMEA, Adi completed research compiled in her thesis “Incorporating social spatial data in sustainable management: Mapping tourism-recreational activities of locals and tourists in Hood Canal, Washington using ArcGIS”. In an announcement and congratulatory message from Benjamin Friedman, Deputy Under Secretary for Operations, Adi’s work was praised for her outstanding contributions, it reads:
Adi Hanein is a Communications Specialist for OAR’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) in Seattle, Washington. Adi leads PMEL’s outreach efforts, and her work to engage with external stakeholders only has increased during the pandemic. Adi was a key player in staffing virtual “booths” at scientific conferences, contributed to the Washington Orca Bowl, and to the state Alliance for Better School’s STEM Academy. She has produced a number of compelling press releases touting PMEL science, many of which have generated national news exposure, and created educational and informational materials for members of Congress and the general public. Adi also has played an instrumental role in developing collaboration and mentorship opportunities with local schools, and has increased PMEL’s participation in NOAA internship programs, including developing an integrated program for all summer interns that included an orientation and structured engagement across PMEL. In addition to external engagement, Adi leads monthly orientation sessions for new employees, initiated monthly ‘show-n-tell’ sessions to build community within PMEL, and has taken a lead in PMEL’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts by supporting training and co-leading an URGE (Unlearning Racism in the GeoSciences) ‘pod’ at PMEL, which includes anti-racism curriculum and discussions. Adi has gone above and beyond to ensure that PMEL remains a close-knit and equitable community, and has helped people around the world to understand PMEL’s science mission.