PNNL

Heather Sabella is a systems engineer at PNNL, who joined the team in 2021. With a keen interest in data analytics and visualizations, she supports the Hanford site mission by prioritizing worker safety through enhanced exposure visibility. Her dedication extends to regulatory compliance, rigorously reviewing the ignitability and reactivity waste codes under Hanford’s Waste Acceptance Criteria to ensure appropriate assignment of waste properties. Sabella also supports the National Nuclear Security Administration mission, aiding in emergency response preparedness through development of the Temporary Emergency Exposure Limits. She is also part of a multidisciplinary team that performs confirmatory analyses of proposed radioactive shipments, offering valuable insights into potential hazards. In October 2024, Sabella was among four PNNL staffers recognized with awards at the annual AIChE meeting. Her work also received acclaim at the Waste Management Symposia in March 2024, where her paper on noise reduction within the Personal Ammonia Monitoring network earned a “Superior” rating. Prior to joining PNNL, she gained experience at RoviSys Building Technologies, focusing on building automation solutions. 

• Chemical Engineering
• Data Science
• Flowsheets
• Regulatory Compliance
• Safety Analysis
• Tableau Software
• Waste Management
• Waste Characterization

BE in chemical engineering, Youngstown State University

• Graduated from the Scientists and Engineers Rising Leaders (SERL) learning journey, 2024
• Awarded “Superior” paper, Recent Technology Enhancements at the Hanford Site session, Waste Management Symposia, 2024
• Awarded 3rd Best Presentation, Early Career Investigation session, AIChE Annual Meeting, 2024

• Waste Management Symposia 2024 (PNNL-SA-191809) Sabella H.B., B.C. Simpson, A. Bernat, R.N. Anderson, H. Hou, J.C. Olsen, and E.V. Morrey, et al. 2024. "From 7% to <1%: Noise Drop-off in a Large Sensor Network at Hanford." In Waste Management Symposia 2024. PNNL-SA-191809
• Visualization of 35+ years of Data & Associated Applications for Informing Key Decisions (PNNL-SA-179589) Bottenus C., H.B. Sabella, M.B. Triplett, and E.L. McCann. 11/16/2022. "Visualization of 35+ years of Data & Associated Applications for Informing Key Decisions." Presented by C. Bottenus at AIChE Annual Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona. PNNL-SA-179589.
• RemPlex 2023 Summit (PNNL-SA-186071) Hou H., S.A. Upton, C.W. Zink, R.K. Tran, B.C. Simpson, S.A. Montgomery, and J.J. Garza, et al. 2023. "An Extensive Industrial Hygiene Data Analysis and Visualization (IDAV) Toolset." In RemPlex 2023 Summit. PNNL-SA-186071.
• PAC-TEEL Value Review (Eighth Batch) (PNNL-SA-194717) Padilla M.A., R.N. Aranzazu, J.T. Hargraves, A.R. Lawter, A.M. Melville, P. Mirick, and H.B. Sabella, et al. 2024. "PAC-TEEL Value Review (Eighth Batch)." PNNL-SA-194717. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
• PAC-TEEL Value Review (Eleventh Batch) (PNNL-SA-199457) Padilla M.A., R.N. Aranzazu, J.T. Hargraves, P. Mirick, H.B. Sabella, Z.R. Skeete, and J.L. Ver Steeg, et al. 2024. "PAC-TEEL Value Review (Eleventh Batch)." PNNL-SA-199457. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
• PAC-TEEL Value Review (Fifteenth Batch) (PNNL-SA-205930) Padilla M.A., R.N. Aranzazu, P. Mirick, E.S. Mohan, H.B. Sabella, Z.R. Skeete, and J.L. Ver Steeg, et al. 2024. "PAC-TEEL Value Review (Fifteenth Batch)." PNNL-SA-205930. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
• PAC-TEEL Value Review (Fifth Batch) (PNNL-SA-190937) Padilla M.A., R.N. Aranzazu, A.R. Lawter, P. Mirick, H.B. Sabella, K.M. Thomas, and J.L. Ver Steeg. 2023. "PAC-TEEL Value Review (Fifth Batch)." PNNL-SA-190937. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
• PAC-TEEL Value Review (Fourteenth Batch) (PNNL-SA-203095) Padilla M.A., R.N. Aranzazu, J.T. Hargraves, A.R. Lawter, P. Mirick, H.B. Sabella, and Z.R. Skeete, et al. 2024. "PAC-TEEL Value Review (Fourteenth Batch)." PNNL-SA-203095. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
• PAC-TEEL Value Review (Fourth Batch) (PNNL-SA-189641) Padilla M.A., B.D. Doris, A.R. Lawter, S.R. Ortega, H.B. Sabella, K.M. Thomas, and V.J. Velasquez, et al. 2023. "PAC-TEEL Value Review (Fourth Batch)." PNNL-SA-189641. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
• PAC-TEEL Value Review (Ninth Batch) (PNNL-SA-197278) Padilla M.A., R.N. Aranzazu, J.T. Hargraves, A.R. Lawter, P. Mirick, H.B. Sabella, and Z.R. Skeete, et al. 2024. "PAC-TEEL Value Review (Ninth Batch)." PNNL-SA-197278. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
• PAC-TEEL Value Review (Seventh Batch) (PNNL-SA-193627) Padilla M.A., R.N. Aranzazu, A. Bernat, J.T. Hargraves, A.R. Lawter, P. Mirick, and H.B. Sabella, et al. 2023. "PAC-TEEL Value Review (Seventh Batch)." PNNL-SA-193627. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
• PAC-TEEL Value Review (Sixth Batch) (PNNL-SA-191924) Padilla M.A., R.N. Aranzazu, A.R. Lawter, P. Mirick, H.B. Sabella, and J.L. Ver Steeg. 2023. "PAC-TEEL Value Review (Sixth Batch)." PNNL-SA-191924. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
• PAC-TEEL Value Review (Tenth Batch) (PNNL-SA-199027) Padilla M.A., R.N. Aranzazu, J.T. Hargraves, A.R. Lawter, P. Mirick, H.B. Sabella, and Z.R. Skeete, et al. 2024. "PAC-TEEL Value Review (Tenth Batch)." PNNL-SA-199027. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
• PAC-TEEL Value Review (Third Batch) (PNNL-SA-186829) Padilla M.A., B.D. Doris, Y. Ganesh, A.R. Lawter, S.R. Ortega, H.B. Sabella, and K.M. Thomas, et al. 2023. "PAC-TEEL Value Review (Third Batch)." PNNL-SA-186829. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
• PAC-TEEL Value Review (Thirteenth Batch) (PNNL-SA-202196) Padilla M.A., R.N. Aranzazu, J.T. Hargraves, A.R. Lawter, P. Mirick, H.B. Sabella, and Z.R. Skeete, et al. 2024. "PAC-TEEL Value Review (Thirteenth Batch)." PNNL-SA-202196. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
• PAC-TEEL Value Review (Twelfth Batch) (PNNL-SA-199444) Padilla M.A., R.N. Aranzazu, J.T. Hargraves, P. Mirick, H.B. Sabella, Z.R. Skeete, and J.L. Ver Steeg, et al. 2024. "PAC-TEEL Value Review (Twelfth Batch)." PNNL-SA-199444. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.