Ashley Hastings
May 6, 2025
What do you like about your job and/or about working at the Lab?
I love the collaborative atmosphere. Whenever I reach out to someone more advanced in their career than me, and with what I imagine to be a much busier schedule, they have always been so accommodating and generous with their time.
What do your day-to-day work activities include?
These days I have a good mix of lab and computer work. In the lab, I work with radioactive materials, controlling their form and characteristics through different wet chemistry methods. Then, I use a suite of analytical instruments to better understand the material properties. Handling radioactive materials involves a lot of training and focus but being able to investigate the actinide elements significant in nuclear energy, security, and more is very rewarding. Back in my office, I analyze data and work on presentations/publications to communicate our science to a broader audience. I strive to weave my technical work into stories that are accessible and sometimes even entertaining!
What is one project you’re really proud to have worked on?
I was hired onto a project about developing new methods to make actinide targets for short-lived isotope production. In this work, we rely on first establishing the method with non-radioactive surrogates before committing to the radioactive, or "spicy," experiments. Much of our progress has felt like "one step forward, two steps back," but it finally feels like we are turning a corner! This project also gave me the opportunity to mentor a summer intern, who is now here under a longer-term Academic Graduate Appointment.
What is your educational/career background?
I completed my PhD in actinide chemistry at the University of Notre Dame in 2023. After a summer off, I began my current appointment as a postdoctoral researcher here at LLNL.
What inspired you to go into science/your field of work?
Back in the summer of 2017, I participated in a Nuclear and Radiochemistry summer school for undergraduate students. That experience introduced me to the foundations of all things radioactive and connected me with my graduate school advisor. During my PhD I got to work with plutonium, the most chemically complex element on the periodic table—I was hooked! As you can imagine, there are not a lot of places in the world that allow you to work with plutonium. Here at LLNL, I can work will all sorts of radioisotopes on projects that span from fundamental to applied science.
What advice would you give to a new employee at the Lab?
Embrace a schedule that aligns with your focus windows and prioritize something that refreshes you. For example, I often participate in a lunchtime yoga class offered by LLESA onsite.
What are your hobbies/what do you do in your free time?
Reading, hiking, and quality time with loved ones.
How many years have you worked at the Lab?
Less than 2 years
Where are you from?
Texas
Do you support disciplines or programs outside PLS?
Global Security
