1980s
Beth A. Cunningham, BS ’82, MA ’84, PhD ’87, Hyattsville, MD, of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), has been named a fellow of the American Physical Society. The number of APS fellows elected each year is limited to no more than one-half of 1% of the membership. It is a prestigious recognition by her peers of her outstanding contributions to physics.
She became executive officer of AAPT in 2011 and has worked with the association’s leadership, committees and staff to increase the focus on excellence in physics education with particular emphasis on improving the educational and occupational opportunities for women and historically marginalized groups within the physics education community.
Cunningham’s professional contributions have included numerous refereed publications, workshops and presentations. She has helped lead important faculty development projects, including the Project Kaleidoscope Summer Leadership Institutes, the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) Transformations Project and the U.S. delegation to the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics International Conference on Women in Physics. With funding from the National Science Foundation, she co-produced the 2014 video HERStories: Words of Wisdom and Encouragement from Women in Physics. Leading a committee of women educators in physics and astronomy, she developed the eAlliances Project in 2017, and she is currently the principal investigator of the Physics and Astronomy SEA Change pilot project.
Dean L. Seavers, BBA ’84, Chestnut Hill, MA, has been appointed a new member of the Board of Directors of AMETEK Inc., effective Feb. 24, 2022. AMETEK is a leading global manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices, with 2021 sales of $5.5 billion.
Seavers most recently served as president and executive director for National Grid, a leading provider of electricity, natural gas and clean energy solutions. From 2015 through 2020 he led an impressive transformation at National Grid, including leading its clean energy and decarbonization initiatives. Previously, he served as founding president and chief executive officer at Red Hawk Fire & Security, the second largest independent fire and security platform in the US, and at GE Security, a $2 billion product and technology group. He has also held leadership positions at United Technologies Corp. and Tyco International, and he serves on the board of directors for Pacific Gas and Electric Co., Albemarle Corp. and James Hardie Building Products.
After graduating from Kent State, Seavers earned an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.
Debra Lew Harder, BS ’85, Gladwyne, PA, was appointed the new host of the Metropolitan Opera’s live radio broadcasts, the longest-running classical music program in American radio history. A pianist and former practicing physician, she is just the fifth host of the 91-year-old broadcast series. While attending medical school at NEOMED, Lew Harder was mentored by Tung Kwong-Kwong, who taught piano at the Kent State University School of Music, along with her husband, Ma Si-Hon, a professor of violin. Read her 11/24/10 blog post about Mr. and Mrs. Ma, “A Life Worth Living”.
Michael Loderstedt, MFA ’85, Cleveland, OH, Kent State Professor Emeritus of Art (2006-2016), was named a 2022 Artist-in-Residence in poetry and visual art by Akron Soul Train Gallery. Part of the residency includes an artist-led community engagement program.