Fellow:Sabrina Hammell

My name is Sabrina Hammell and I am a business development engineer at Canon Virginia Inc. I graduated from James Madison University in 2019 with a degree in mechanical engineering where I focused my studies in the sustainability and renewable energy spaces. While completing my education at JMU, I worked in the maker space teaching students how to bring their ideas to life and participated in student research with the focus of electric vehicles. I was a University Innovation Fellow from 2018-2019 and learned how to be a better listener, innovator, and mentor. The skills I learned as a fellow have followed me into my career as a team lead at Canon where I identify new technical areas the company should create products within. I have worked on many projects in the agriculture, biomaterials, and medical spaces that has allowed me to innovate and use my knowledge of human centered design to create products that matter to people and also help the world become more sustainable.

I am passionate about helping students find their voice and learn to communicate in effective ways to make real, lasting change on their campuses and in their future careers. When I was a fellow, my team and I started a workshop series where we had professional development classes for students seeking internships and job opportunities. These classes covered topics that seemed simple but addressed some of the most difficult parts of the interviewing process, resume creation, and language building that sometimes gets overlooked while attending university. I learned how to listen to my peers and iterate to ensure that our workshops were addressing their needs and creating value. The skills I learned through my experience as a fellow has allowed me to feel confident speaking up in my workplace and help to promote others to similar positions. I have learned how important it is to communicate clearly and work with your peers to create innovation that matters.

In my spare time, I enjoy activities including hiking, paddle boarding, and going on adventures with my dog, Ollie. I also enjoy wood working and using found materials to create unique furniture and art pieces.