Celebrating a pioneer: Suzanne’s exceptional service and lasting impact on Hanford cleanup

In this edition of Behind the Scenes at the Nuclear Waste Program, we sat down with our longtime Tank Waste Treatment Section Manager, Suzanne Dahl.

A day in the life

Suzanne has been a part of our Nuclear Waste Program (NWP) team for more than 30 years!

During this time, her job has constantly evolved. She started as a hydrogeologist for NWP and is ending her career as the Tank Waste Treatment Section Manager. She compares the challenge of Hanford to a river.

"Hanford cleanup is like a river. When the river is flowing, you never step in the same part of it twice. The river is always different and you are different when you step in it," Suzanne said. "Hanford cleanup is the same, cleanup is evolving and there are many people involved in it, so the work changes as we go."

Suzanne's section oversees one of the most complex environmental projects in the state - transforming millions of gallons of nuclear waste in underground tanks into a safer stable form for permanent disposal.

"My day starts with waking up and reaching for my work cellphone between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m. to see what the Waste Treatment Plant did last night, did it run all the time, did it shut off, is it still running and how many metric tons did it get done yesterday and the day before," Suzanne said.

That routine inevitably ends in seeing continued progress! So far, more than 150,000 gallons of nuclear waste have been turned into glass through a process called vitrification.

"That waste is no longer a threat to the environment. It is tied up in glass in containers and disposed of in a permitted landfill. It was all done safely without impacting on the environment. This is amazing work and I am super proud," Suzanne said.

Even though her days are long and the work never stops, she will miss it when she retires. What she loves the most is working alongside a great group of team members.

"They are all smart, passionate, dedicated people who love the mission. They share the passion for the mission of cleanup of Hanford and getting the tank waste remediated," she said.

A legacy built on relentless pursuit, perseverance, and milestones

Suzanne's love for science comes from her family. Both her mother and father were geologists. After first trying for another career in college, she fell in love with her parents' profession and became a geologist herself! She also married a geologist, her soulmate and partner Dwayne Crumpler (also a past Ecology employee).

After college, she decided to pursue a graduate degree in an environmental field, attending Baylor University in Waco, Texas. This is where she developed her passion for hydrology and hydrogeology. She went on to earn her master's degree in those fields.

Suzanne later moved to Washington and initially worked with several consulting companies before ending up at Ecology. Suzanne has held numerous positions over a career at NWP that has been nearly as long as Hanford cleanup!

Suzanne has been grateful that she and Dwayne were able to raise their wonderful children Travis and Lydia in the Tri-Cities.

Part of her personal accomplishments have also become professional ones.

The initial permitting of the Waste Treatment Plant was one of Suzanne's biggest accomplishments.

"The phase permitted approach was one that hadn't been done. It needed approval from the EPA and ended up getting us an award," Suzanne said. "We have never been the reason for a delay, we have always met the schedule."

Her legacy is not just the work they have done, but the lives they have touched and the lasting difference they continue to make.

Passion: shaping her past, guiding her future

Passion is a word that best describes a person like Suzanne. She puts a sense of fulfillment and joy in everything she does and is determined to excel and bring joy to others. This passion is evident in and shines through everything she does in her service for the people of Washington.

"I was also super proud about being the sitewide permit manager when new robust project plans were put in place to start completion of Revision 9," Suzanne said.

For more than 30 years, Suzanne has poured her heart into the one of the largest environmental cleanup efforts in the world. Through every challenge, she has shown what it means to serve with courage, compassion, and a steadfast belief in a better future.

For the future generations

Suzanne finds a similarity in all the disciplines she has learned in the job she has been doing for so many year - all within the realm of science and technology.

"Don't be scared off by the math! You will get through the math, don't be scared by the chemistry, you will get through that too," Suzanne said. "If you develop a passion for the stuff that is difficult and for the things that you don't think you are good at, if you commit to be super excited about it and find things that spark your passion, you will find that you are doing a lot better in your studies than before."