Page 27 - The Indian EYE 122625

Newsmakers of the Week DECEMBER 26, 2025 | The Indian Eye 27

co-founded Medtelligent and Wish- year term beginning in 2026. The jour-
bone Club, two businesses specializ- nal is co-published by the American
ing in technology platforms aimed at Statistical Association—the largest
transforming health care. professional organization for statis-
“Dhiraj brings an exceptional ticians worldwide—and the Interna-
combination of product vision, busi- tional Biometric Society, an academic
ness acumen, technology leadership, and professional organization dedicat-
and deep health care expertise,” said ed to advancing statistical and mathe-
Wes Crampton, president of Med- matical methods in the biosciences.
Speed. “His proven ability to scale JABES is dedicated to introduc-
and transform a business during a ing new statistical methods to solve
hyper-growth phase aligns perfectly challenging problems in the agricul-
with MedSpeed’s objective to create tural, biological, and environmental sciences. The journal is international in
ever-smarter, more connected health both its authors and readership, with previous editors-in-chief representing five
care logistics networks.” different continents.
“I am honored to take on this role,” Haran said. “This is a time when biolo-
MENKA SONI gy, agriculture, and the environmental sciences are being transformed by power-
ful statistical, machine learning and AI methods, as well as interesting new kinds
Councilor becomes first person of data that are available to scientists. It will be exciting to learn about the new
questions and statistical ideas emerging in these fields over the next three years.”
to swear in with Gita ence and disease modeling. For instance, with collaborators in the Department
Much of Haran’s research is motivated by problems in environmental sci-

of Geosciences and the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics at Penn State he
edmond City, WA: Menka Soni has studied the Antarctic Ice Sheet and the transmission of infectious diseases,
created history by becoming
Rthe first Indian woman in the respectively. In addition to interdisciplinary research, he has worked extensively
on fast computer algorithms for solving statistical problems and on methods for
United States to take oath with the analyzing ‘’spatial data’’ — observations that have locations associated with them.
Bhagavad Gita, after being elected to Haran joined the faculty at Penn State in 2004, and served as the head of
the Redmond City Council. the Department of Statistics between 2018 and 2024.
She shared that her upbringing
and faith have always been important POONAM ARORA
to her, and holding the Gita was a way
to honour those values. Babson names professor as
“I have been spiritual since child-
hood. Holding the Gita during the oath Dean of Undergraduate School
was my way of honouring my values
and India’s cultural legacy,” she said. abson Park, MA: Dr. Poonam Arora has been named the new dean of
“I am very spiritual. I have a temple in my house, and I am a vegetarian... the Undergraduate School at Babson College. Arora currently is the as-
When I had to take the oath, I wanted the teachings of the Gita to be with me... Bsociate dean of faculty affairs and strategic initiatives and professor of
I also went to a Sai Baba temple there...” she added. management at Quinnipiac University, where she has led strategic planning ef-
Speaking during her visit to Lucknow, the Redmond City Councillor re- forts within the School of Business aimed at promoting sustainable growth amid
called her election journey in Washington state, where she defeated Jeralee An- a shifting higher education landscape. She first joined Quinnipiac as the associ-
derson with a substantial margin. ate dean of faculty affairs in 2022. In her time at the university, Arora supported
Soni said she secured nearly 60 per cent of the vote after knocking on “ev- reaccreditation efforts, undertook the restructuring of the School of Business’s
ery door” and participating in “every debate,” which, she said, helped people assurance of learning processes and standards, curriculum innovation and map-
“show credibility” and trust in her leadership. She also shared that she currently ping, and updated scholarly contribution standards and support.
serves on five boards in Seattle. Prior to joining Quinnipiac, Arora served as the Capalbo Professor of Busi-
Soni spoke about her corporate background, her non-profit work, and how ness Administration and department chair of management and marketing at
several influential and political figures encouraged her to run for office. She Manhattan College. Her experience at Manhattan spans scholarship and aca-
said she received nearly 150 endorsements from across the United States before demic leadership, including roles as co-director of the Center for Ethics, chair
entering the race. of the O’Malley School of Business Strategic Priorities Committee, and faculty
Soni, who serves on five boards in Seattle, spoke about her priorities for representative for the Shared Governance Working Group.
Arora brings extensive experience beyond academia to Babson’s Under-
Redmond, including affordable housing, community support, and safety for all graduate School. She held corporate and nonprofit leadership roles that span
residents. “My work has always centred around inclusivity, empowerment and industries, including as acting executive director and CFO of Working Today
creating a safer, more equitable Redmond,” she said. Inc., vice president of U.S. securitization at Citicorp Securities, senior associate
Soni added that one of her primary goals is to recognise Diwali in Red- at McKinsey & Company, and junior economist at the United Nations Interna-
mond, expressing hope that it could be formalised by the next quarter so that it tional Fund for Agricultural Development.
may be observed as a holiday by next Diwali. “Dr. Arora brings a wealth of thought leadership and experience across
academia and the corporate world to this new role,” Provost and Executive Vice
MURALI HARAN President Ariel Armony said.
Arora earned her bachelor of business administration (BBA) degree, sum-
Penn State’s professor named ma cum laude, in business economics from John Cabot University in Rome,
Italy, her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern Uni-
editor-in-chief of JABES versity, and a PhD in psychology from Columbia University.

ollege Park, PA: Murali Haran, a statistics professor in Penn State’s Eber- To read more about Indian diaspora and Global Indians, log on to and follow
ly College of Science, has been appointed editor-in-chief of the Journal of our website www.TheIndianEYE.com
CAgricultural, Biological and Environmental Statistics (JABES) for a three-

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