RIT’s College of Science Names Laura Tubbs Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education

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Laura Tubbs

Rochester resident Laura Tubbs was appointed associate dean of undergraduate education in Rochester Institute of Technology’s College of Science.

She will work closely with Dean Sophia Maggelakis and the heads of the college’s academic units to oversee the development, delivery and assessment of curricula of foundation and general education courses and undergraduate programs. Tubbs will provide leadership in overseeing the college’s committee structure, space needs, safety issues, running of laboratories, facilities management and computing facilities.

A professor of chemistry, Tubbs received her master’s and doctoral degrees in chemistry from the University of Rochester. Her scientific research has included work on the use of naturally occurring radioisotopes for dating and tracing purposes, and the application of water-soluble polymers in drug delivery systems. She was co-director of the RIT Proteomics Laboratory with Paul Craig until accepting the role of interim associate dean last year.

In addition to her academic research, Tubbs has a consulting relationship with Cytologics Inc. and has consulted in the past for Eastman Kodak Co. and Rochester Products. She has also contributed to research focused on teaching. Tubbs was a principal investigator on Project EDGE, funded by the National Science Foundation, to explore teaching techniques to address the classroom climate for women in the sciences at the college and high school level.

During her 28 years at RIT, Tubbs has served several terms as a senator on the Academic Senate, including a term as secretary on the executive committee. She served on the Honorary Degree Committee and the first Strategic Planning Committee under former President Albert Simone. She also served as student ombudsperson for five and a half years.

Tubbs was part of the group that worked to bring about the creation of the Women’s Center on campus and currently serves on the Advisory Board to the Women’s Center. Recently, she led an experimental tutoring group for first-year African-American, Latin-American and Native-American students in the department of chemistry. Her other student-related activities have included advising the professional chemistry fraternity, Alpha Chi Sigma, and being the founding advisor for the House of General Science special interest house.