Dr. Tripepi’s research investigates how different organisms (from archaea to plants) respond to various stressors and the impact these stressors can have on their survival strategies. Currently she is investigating the effects of sub-optimal temperatures and UV light on the motility rate of Haloferax volcanii. Dr. Tripepi also focuses on curriculum development and pedagogy-oriented lines of research, which includes developing laboratory activities tailored to learning outcomes that help students successfully learn topics in biology. During the Covid-19 pandemic, in order to continue to offer undergraduate research experiences, she designed a COVID-friendly, adaptable protocol that aims to introduce students to the wildlife research opportunities surrounding their campus or home through direct observation and literature review. Student researchers learn the scientific method by getting first-hand experience with an original research project. Dr. Tripepi’s curriculum activities have been published by the Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education.
- Adaptations and organisms' responses to stress conditions.
- Monitoring wildlife on campus.
- Curriculum development: Developing inquiry-based laboratory experiences to improve undergraduate learning in biology