Mary Grace Hager

What does your job entail?

I work in the Tactical Systems Division as a systems analyst. Essentially, the U.S. Air Force asks us open-ended "what if" questions, and we analyze the concept via physics-based modeling and simulation. For example, we assess the survivability of advanced aircraft versus modern air defenses.

Why do you think the Laboratory is a good fit for you?

I've enjoyed the breadth of opportunities the Laboratory has to offer. Even as a relatively new staff member, and early in my career, I've been given projects with real-world impact. The technical topics also vary widely, and I've been able to learn many new subject areas without changing groups.

In 2024 you received an equity award from the Laboratory. What kind of work have you been doing in this respect?

I've been helping to recruit from the Grace Hopper Conference for women because that's how I was originally recruited to work at the Laboratory as an intern. This expanded to include recruiting at other diversity conferences, and helping to instill more equity in hiring and retention practices.

Overall, I would like for the Laboratory to be as fulfilling a place to work as possible. To this end, one of the bigger initiatives that my colleagues and I are working on is implementing data-driven diversity and inclusion practices. We're analysts, so we want to objectively show where efforts may need to be targeted as well as be able to objectively demonstrate measurable progress from those efforts. Neither is possible without transparent data on the recruitment pipeline as well as retention and advancement opportunities.

What have you found rewarding about your involvement in these endeavors?

Absolutely the community. Nothing is accomplished in isolation, and I am fortunate to work alongside a lot of people who care about continually advancing equity where we work. Working closely on these efforts, in addition to technical projects, has helped me to strengthen my sense of community at the Laboratory.