Dr. Ariel Hanson was a scientist associated with the Special Research Projects Administration. She was a selfless and altruistic individual. The daughter of Bernard Hanson and Talise Cogan, Ariel Hanson was taken from Tarsonis at a young age to Agria, the colony newly-founded by her father. Her mother remained on Tarsonis, so in a sense the colony acted as her mother. Ariel Hanson grew to be a genius. At age six she was reading advanced chemistry notes, and at age eleven she had written a paper on mutagenic effects on the rare trabillia flower. She graduated from upper school two years early and was offered a scholarship at Tarsonis University. Despite the rich biodiversity available to study on Agria, she traveled to Tarsonis over her father's objections. Hanson can represent a positive moral influence on Jim Raynor,[20] acting as something of a love interest and representing his "good side". She was the opposite of other soldiers, acting as "the angel on Raynor's shoulder," as opposed to others being the "devil."