Previously he received a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from Oklahoma State University. He has done extensive research in the construction of recombinant bacterial and bacteriophage bioreporter strains for the detection and monitoring of food-borne pathogens, biological toxicants, environmental pollutants, environmental stressor mechanisms, and components of bio-microelectronic computer processing systems, and has a number of patents pending in these areas. Ripp also has written numerous industry-related articles and publications. He can be reached at saripp@utk.edu.