JOHN P.

RIPPE
Department of Integrative Biology | University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX
jpr6mg@gmail.com | +1 (561) 339-0593

EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Marine Sciences, May 2019 Chapel Hill, NC
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Advisor: Dr. Karl Castillo
Dissertation: Resilience and connectivity of coral reefs at multiple ecological scales throughout the wider
Caribbean basin
B.S. in Environmental Sciences, High Distinction, May 2013 Charlottesville, VA
B.A. in Biology, Environmental & Biological Conservation Specialization
University of Virginia

POSTDOCTORAL TRAINING

2019- Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX

Advisor: Dr. Mikhail Matz

RESEARCH FUNDING
The asterisk (*) indicates a grant for which I was not the official PI due to graduate student status but was the lead writer and
researcher on the project.

2019 Grants-in-Aid of Research Program, The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
Coral connectivity on the Belize Barrier Reef System: Is gene flow sufficient to foster reef-scale adaptation
to ocean warming? PI: JP Rippe – $1000
2018 *University Research Council Small Grant, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Coral connectivity on the Belize Barrier Reef System: Is gene flow sufficient to foster reef-scale adaptation
to ocean warming? PI: KD Castillo – $7500, Role: Project lead
2018 Charles A. & June R.P. Ross Research Award, The Geological Society of America
Reconstructing historic temperature records on the Bocas del Toro Reef Tract. PI: JP Rippe – $3250

FELLOWSHIPS
18-19 Dissertation Completion Fellowship, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
14-15 Doctoral Merit Assistantship, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

AWARDS & HONORS

2019 Graduate Student Mentor Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduates, University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill
2018 Graduate and Professional Student Federation Travel Award, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Awarded to conduct off-campus molecular lab work at Boston University – $400
2018 Graduate Student Opportunity Fund, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Awarded to attend 2bRAD workshop at the International Center for Coral Reef Research – $750

Last updated: 5 May 2020

2016 Mellon Graduate Student Conference Travel Award, The Institute for the Study of the Americas
Awarded to attend 13th International Coral Reef Symposium – $550
2016 Graduate Student Transportation Grant, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Awarded to attend 13th International Coral Reef Symposium – $1,000
2013 High Distinction, Distinguished Majors Program, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of
Virginia

PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS (*Undergraduate mentee)

2019 Baumann JH, JB Ries, JP Rippe, T Courtney, HE Aichelman, I Westfield, and KD Castillo. Nearshore
coral growth declining on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. Global Change Biology, 25(11): 3932-
3945.
2019 Rippe JP, N Kriefall, SW Davies, and KD Castillo. Differential disease and mortality of two coral species
across inner and outer reef habitats of the upper Florida Keys in association with a white plague outbreak.
Bulletin of Marine Sciences, 95(2): 305-316.
2019 *Benson BE, JP Rippe, CB Bove, KD Castillo. Apparent timing of Siderastrea siderea density banding in
relation to colony growth and physiology. Coral Reefs, 38(1): 165-176.
2018 Rippe JP, JH Baumann, *DN De Leener, HE Aichelman, EB Friedlander, SW Davies, and KD Castillo.
Corals sustain growth but not density across the Florida Keys Reef Tract despite ongoing warming. Global
Change Biology, 24(11): 5204-5217.
2017 Rippe JP, MV Matz, EA Green, M Medina, NZ Khawaja, T Pongwarin, JH Pinzón C, KD Castillo, and
SW Davies. Population structure and connectivity of the mountainous star coral, Orbicella faveolata,
throughout the wider Caribbean basin. Ecology and Evolution, 7(22): 9234-9246.
2016 Stocking JS, JP Rippe, and MA Reidenbach. Structure and dynamics of turbulent boundary layer flow
over healthy and algae-covered corals. Coral Reefs, 35(3): 1047-1059.

PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS (First author only)

2020 Genomic evidence of environmental specialization and cryptic speciation in two massive coral species
on the Florida Keys Reef Tract
Oral presentation: Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting, Austin, TX.
2020 Environmental drivers of coral growth across the western Caribbean Sea and Florida Keys
Poster presentation: Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting, Austin, TX.
2019 Coral connectivity on the Belize Barrier Reef System: Is gene flow sufficient to foster reef-scale
adaptation to ocean warming?
Poster presentation: Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting, Tampa, FL.
2018 Differential disease and mortality of two coral species across inner and outer reef habitats of the upper
Florida Keys
Podium presentation: Symbiofest, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
2017 Colony-level variation in coral growth overshadows regional patterns on the Florida Reef Tract
Poster presentation: 38th Biannual U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting, Miami, FL.
2017 Characterizing skeletal growth trends for two massive reef-building corals throughout the Florida Keys
Reef Tract.
Podium presentation: 46th Benthic Ecology Meeting, Myrtle Beach, SC.

Last updated: 5 May 2020

2016 Skeletal growth trends of two massive reef-building corals on the Florida Reef Tract: Are inshore corals
better off in a warming ocean?
Podium presentation: 13th International Coral Reef Symposium, Honolulu, HI.
2016 Symbiotic bacterial communities of corals across two thermally distinct environments on the Belize
Barrier Reef System
Podium presentation: Symbiofest, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
2013 Coral-macroalgae dominance shift may impact flow-mediated recovery from bleaching
Podium presentation: Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.

TEACHING & MENTORING (*Instructor on record)

17-18 Teaching Assistant*, ENEC 201 Environment and Society (Dr. Greg Gangi), University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill – 2 semesters
2016 Teaching Assistant, MASC 441 Marine Physiological Ecology (Dr. Karl Castillo), University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill
2015 Teaching Assistant, MASC 101 Introduction to the Marine Environment (Dr. John Bane), University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2014 Teaching Assistant, MASC 101 Introduction to the Marine Environment (Dr. Karl Castillo), University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Graduate student mentorship

Kristina Black (2019-pres), Carly Scott (2019-pres)
Undergraduate/high school student mentorship:
Meta Hughes (2020-pres), Kelsey Moreland (2019-pres), Daphne De Leener (2015-16), Brooke Benson (2016-17),
Lily Olmo (2017), Kinsey Fisher (2017-18), Jared Richards (2017-19), Ava Medina (2018), **Hayden Vaughan
(2018), **Jackson Dowden (2018-19)
**High school student

PUBLIC & TEACHING LECTURES

2016 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, MASC 441. Guest lecture. Coral Reefs and Climate Change.
2015 Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE), Punta Gorda, Belize.
2015 North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC. Invited speaker for high school Junior
Curator group. Coral reefs and climate change.
2015 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, MASC 101. Guest lecture. Foundations of Life in the Ocean.
2015 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, MASC 101. Guest lecture. Coastal Oceans and Estuaries.
2014 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, MASC 101. Guest lecture. Marine Ecology and Ocean
Ecosystems.

Last updated: 5 May 2020

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

2018 Methods in Ecological Genomic Analysis – Population genomics using low-coverage/RAD data
Instructor: Dr. Mikhail Matz, University of Texas at Austin
2015 Researcher-Educator Exchange Forum (REEF) Workshop, Center for Ocean Sciences Education
Excellence, Raleigh, NC.

PAST EMPLOYMENT

13-14 Researcher, Marstel-Day, LLC Environmental & Conservation Consulting, Fredericksburg, VA

2013 Policy Internship, The Nature Conservancy, Central Appalachians Region, Charlottesville, VA
2013 Research Assistant, Aquatic Eddy Covariance Research Lab (Dr. Peter Berg), University of Virginia,
Charlottesville, VA
12-13 Research Assistant, Environmental Fluid Dynamics Lab (Dr. Matthew Reidenbach), University of
Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
2010 Research Internship, Loxahatchee River District, WildPine Ecological Laboratory, Jupiter, FL

EXTRACURRICULAR SERVICE
16-18 Voting Member, Food Systems Working Group, UNC-Chapel Hill
15-17 Sustainability Chair, Graduate and Professional Student Federation, UNC-Chapel Hill
15-17 Sustainability Advisory Committee, UNC-Chapel Hill
15-17 Renewable Energy Special Projects Committee, UNC-Chapel Hill
10-13 Volunteer Firefighter/EMT-B/Driver-Pump Operator, Seminole Trail Vol Fire Dept, Charlottesville, VA

COMMUNITY OUTREACH
18-19 Presented lessons about ecology and conservation of coral reefs to 4th grade class at Limestone Creek
Elementary School, Jupiter, FL.
2019 Discussed implications of population genetics in coral reef research and how to pursue scientific careers
with an AP Biology class at The Benjamin School, Palm Beach Gardens, FL.
15-19 Morehead Science Communication Ambassador, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, Chapel
Hill, NC.
17-18 DNA Day Ambassador – Presented interactive seminar about the use of DNA in forensics to high school
classes throughout the state of NC.
2018 UNC Science Expo – Supervised family-friendly educational booth about ongoing research in the lab
16-18 Invite-A-Scientist, North Carolina Science Festival – Annually visit middle school classes across North
Carolina to teach students about the ecology and conservation of coral reefs.
14,17 Presenter, 8th Grade Career Fair, Mills Park Middle School, Cary, NC.
2016 Q&A about coral reefs and coral bleaching with pre-K and kindergarten students at Our PlayHouse
Preschool and Kindergarten, Chapel Hill, NC.
2015 Presented lesson about evolutionary adaptations on coral reefs to 4th grade class at Glenwood Elementary
School, Chapel Hill, NC.

Last updated: 5 May 2020

2015 Researcher, Scientific Research and Education Network (SciREN) – Triangle Event, North Carolina
Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC.
2015 Science Judge, Blue Heron Quiz Bowl, Chapel Hill, NC.
14-15 Contributing Author, UNdertheC Marine Sciences Blog

CERTIFICATIONS
2019 FCC Marine Radio Operator
2015 AAUS Scientific Diver
2015 DAN First Responder and CPR-Oxygen
2013 NAUI Open Water

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

2015- American Academy of Underwater Sciences

2015- International Coral Reef Society
17-18 The Geological Society of America
2018- The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology

Last updated: 5 May 2020