Dean, D.R. Semmes School of Science, Trinity University (TX)
David Ribble is a biologist and professor at Trinity University, San Antonio, where he currently serves as the inaugural Dean of the D. R. Semmes School of Science. Prior to this role, he was the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs: Budget and Research (2018-2023). Ribble has been a faculty member at Trinity since 1992, teaching courses in ecology, evolution, and conservation biology, with a strong emphasis on field-based learning.
His research focuses on the ecology and evolution of small mammals across various regions, including North and Central America and Africa. Notably, he was part of a team that discovered the grey-faced sengi, a rare elephant-shrew species in Tanzania. He has led student research expeditions to locations such as Mexico, New Mexico, Costa Rica, and Africa, integrating hands-on experience into Trinity’s curriculum.
As an administrator, Ribble played a key role in shaping academic programs, securing grants, and improving science facilities at Trinity, including contributing to the development of the Center for the Sciences and Innovation. He has received multiple teaching and service awards, including Trinity’s highest faculty honor, the Z.T. Scott Faculty Fellowship. Nationally, he has been involved in efforts to reform life sciences education through organizations such as Partnerships for Undergraduate Life Science (PULSE) and the Council on Undergraduate Research. His leadership philosophy emphasizes collaboration, community-building, and promoting undergraduate research.
