Brandeis Magazine

Ariel Ahram, an associate professor at Virginia Tech’s School of Public and Inter­national Affairs, celebrated the 2020 publication of “War and Conflict in the Middle East and North Africa,” a textbook on Middle East politics and security affairs. Samantha (Robbins) Atkinson in April 2020 welcomed a daughter, Tessa Blair, who joins big sister Allie. Samantha is director of development at the Shaquille O’Neal Foundation in Las Vegas. In August, Valerie Glassman became director of the Clinical Support Division at the UNC Chapel Hill School of Nursing, overseeing placements, clinical compliance and contract management for all students and faculty. She also served as editor for the Fall 2020 edition of Reflections, the educational magazine for the Association for Student Conduct Administration, and co-authored a chapter in the second edition of “Reframing Campus Conflict: Student Conduct Practice Through the Lens of Inclusive Excellence.” In November, Valerie defended her dissertation toward a Doctor of Education from East Carolina University. Rebecca Rausch was reelected to the Attleboro-area seat in the Massachusetts Senate. Mohammad Seyedsayamdost, MS’01, an associate professor in Princeton University’s chemistry department, was awarded a 2020 MacArthur Fellowship for investigating the biosynthesis of novel molecules with therapeutic properties and promoting the discovery of new antibiotics.