Kelley Young is an Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Notre Dame, a position she has held since her promotion in 2022 after serving as Assistant Teaching Professor from 2016 to 2022. She concurrently serves as the Boler Family Director of the Mary E. Galvin Science and Engineering Scholars Program since 2021, leading efforts to build community and increase retention among STEM students, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds lacking advanced high school preparation. Prior to Notre Dame, Young was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Hope College from 2015 to 2016 and a Lecturer at Michigan State University from 2014 to 2015. She earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Michigan State University in 2015, where her research investigated the fabrication and electrochemical characterization of thin-film semiconductors for solar water oxidation, and a B.S. in Chemistry from Adrian College in 2009.

Young's research at Notre Dame has shifted to chemistry education, focusing on analyzing student-generated data from general chemistry courses and implementing evidence-based teaching practices as General Chemistry Coordinator. She teaches Introduction to Chemical Principles and physical chemistry laboratories. Her contributions to undergraduate education have earned her the 2024 Thomas P. Madden Award for exceptional leadership in teaching first-year students, highlighted by innovative adaptations during the COVID-19 pandemic for large classes; the 2024 Kaneb Center for Teaching Excellence Faculty Fellowship; and the 2022 Rev. Edmund P. Joyce, C.S.C. Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. Young is a co-author of the eighth edition of Chemical Principles: The Quest for Insight. Her graduate publications include "Substrate Dependent Water Splitting with Ultrathin α-Fe₂O₃ Photoanodes" and other works on photoelectrochemical processes. Through her roles, Young profoundly influences student success in chemistry and STEM fields at Notre Dame.

Professional Email: kyoung10@nd.edu