Meet the YCC: Ashley Tubbs

Meet Ashley Tubbs, analytical chemist and avid wanderer. Ashley is an associate of the national Younger Chemists Committee (YCC), of which she serves on the Global Engagement (GE) and Local and Regional Activities (LRA) subcommittees. Ashley’s profile is part of “Meet the YCC,” a series of blog posts highlighting YCC members and associates and what they do both in and outside of ACS.

Ashley Tubbs (she/her/hers)

YCC Associate

YCC subcommittees: Global Engagement (GE) and Local and Regional Activities (LRA)

Other ACS involvement: Chair, ACS Virginia YCC; Chair-elect, ACS Virginia Local Section

Education
B.S., Chemistry, and A.S., Business, University of Southern Indiana
Ph.D., Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University

Connect: LinkedIn

When and why did you join the YCC?

I began volunteering with my local YCC at the start of the pandemic and enjoyed organizing events for younger chemists that focused on professional development, mental health, and creating a community of like-minded individuals. The national YCC was kind of this mystery at the time–I had heard that they organized events at the ACS meetings and provided support for the Local Section YCCs, but ACS governance was still a huge mystery. After a few years, I was encouraged to apply for the Younger Chemist Leadership Institute Award, which would facilitate my attendance at the ACS Leadership Development Institute (LDI) in Atlanta. I applied and was thrilled to learn I had been accepted to the 2022 LDI. At the LDI, I met members of the YCC and other people in ACS governance, including [2024 ACS President-Elect] Dorothy Phillips! It was a great opportunity for networking and learning more about being a leader. The next year, I joined the national YCC so I could continue developing as a leader and work to provide younger chemists more opportunities for professional development, leadership, and community in the ACS.

I attended the dedication ceremony of the University of Virginia (UVA) Chemical Hearth, which was designated a National Historic Chemical Landmark by ACS on 1 March 2024. I’m pictured with Dr. LaChelle Waller of Virginia Commonwealth University.
*Credit: UVA*

What is your favorite part about being on the YCC?

My favorite part about being on the YCC is the opportunity to bring more younger chemists into leadership roles within ACS. Without the YCC, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to attend the Leadership Institute in 2022, and I never would have become a part of such an incredible community.

Julian Bobb, Carissa Hunter, and I accepted the 2023 ChemLuminary for Outstanding Younger Chemists Committee on behalf of the ACS Virginia YCC. We are pictured with national YCC Chair Katie Johnson (left) and then-President Judy Giordan (right).
Credit: ACS

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing younger chemists today?

I think one of the biggest challenges facing younger chemists today is burnout. Especially after the pandemic, we are all so overwhelmed with the amount of work that we feel we need to do (and it never feels like there’s enough time in which to do it) that burnout very quickly sets in. As a recent graduate, I can say that, while universities are doing much better about unrealistic expectations of grad students’ time, many grad students still feel that they are at their PI’s beck and call. Set boundaries around your time by scheduling time for yourself to sleep, exercise, work on hobbies, or do absolutely nothing. You’ll work better if you take care of yourself first.

Here, I am hiking at Crabtree Falls in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

What are your favorite things to do for fun?