Ashley has been part of the Course and Conference Office since January 2022. Even though the length of time isn’t that long yet, it feels like she has always been a part of the team and we can’t really picture it without her! Her positive, can-do attitude is infectious, and she bakes!! Other fun facts – she is a Heidelberg native, has an American passport, and speaks Japanese! Get to know a little more about Ashley in the interview below. 

At EMBL since:  January 2022

Number of organised conferences/courses:  As a Marketing Officer I don’t organise the events, but am responsible for promoting them. So far, I’ve supported around 8 past events by taking care of the websites, socials, and marketing materials – and I’m currently working on upcoming ones, including those for 2023.

What’s your favourite place in Heidelberg?  

That’s really difficult for me to answer since Heidelberg is such a beautiful place! I really enjoy being downtown in the Altstadt, but also love the forest around the city. And of course the EMBL Campus! It sometimes feels like a botanical garden since our gardeners do wonderful things with all kinds of plants and really take great care of the grounds. I’ve never seen some of the flowers that grow here! There’s always something new to discover.

What do you like most about your job?  

The best thing about my job is definitely my team! I really like the job itself and enjoy my day-to-day work, but being a part of the amazing team that makes up the Course and Conference Office is extremely rewarding and makes me super happy. Everyone is extraordinarily welcoming, supportive, and positive and that makes coming to work very enjoyable.

First thing you do before a conference/course starts?

The first thing I do is put on my name badge so people don’t think some random person is taking pictures of them, haha. I also look up the event topics, check speaker and organiser Twitter handles, and think of what I‘d like to post during my live social media coverage.  

If you weren’t a Marketing Officer, what would you be?    

Probably someone who works with plants. Perhaps I’d go into gardening, I really love flowers!

What’s your favourite recipe? 

My favorite recipe is Baked Ziti with Peppers, Mushrooms and Parmesan. I’ve always loved this and it’s quite funny because I actually don’t really like peppers. Just shows you how great this recipe is!

What series have you been binge-watching lately that we should also definitely watch?    

‘Crash Landing on You’! I laughed, I cried, I developed a craving for Korean food, and can only recommend it if you like watching kitsch-y things. I can also really recommend ‘Somebody feed Phil’! It’s a feel-good, heart-warming show about a lovely guy trying all kinds of yummy food around the world.