Class of 2026: Gabrielle Ripa knits together invasive species research with wildlife conservation

Ripa will continue her work to address conservation issues facing native plant and wildlife communities. Photo courtesy of Gabrielle Ripa.

Name: Gabrielle Ripa

College: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Department: School of Plant and Environmental Sciences

Degree: Ph.D. in Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science

Hometown: Escondido, CA

Plans after graduation: Postdoc at North Carolina State University

Favorite Hokie memory: My research required many hours of driving between Blacksburg and Maryland to maintain acoustic recording units and I really cherish all the long car talks and hours upon hours of podcasts I was able to share with many of my friends who volunteered to accompany me on the long treks.

Research interest(s): invasive species, wildlife habitat management, biodiversity conservation

Extracurricular Activities and Hobbies: knitting, baking, cake decorating

What inspired you to choose your major, and how has it shaped your journey so far? Throughout my undergraduate and master’s research, I have studied plant ecology, largely through a wildlife lens. This research project allowed me to continue building on my plant ecology and wildlife habitat management background supplemented with invasion and restoration ecologies. I believe I’m leaving this degree with additional tools to address conservation issues facing native plant and wildlife communities.

Ripa's postdoctoral fellowship will focus on invasive plants in areas affected by Hurricane Helene near Asheville, North Carolina. Photos courtesy of Gabrielle Ripa.

Are there any professors or mentors who made a significant impact on your path? My advisors Drs. Jacob Barney and Leighton Reid have been awesome in helping me become a better researcher and providing opportunities for me to grow my communication skills for different audiences. I’ve greatly enjoyed my time at Virginia Tech and I’m so grateful to have had such amazing advisors.

What are you most excited about as you step into this new chapter? My postdoc project focuses on invasive plants in areas affected by Hurricane Helene near Asheville, NC. I’ve always wanted to work in the Southern Appalachians and I’m very excited to continue working in invasive species research with the opportunity to integrate questions on wildlife conservation.