Michelle Rippy Faculty Profile

Photo of Michelle Rippy

Michelle  Rippy

Associate Professor | Department Chair | Director, Forensic Science Research Center

Department of Criminal Justice

  • E-mail: michelle.rippy@csueastbay.edu
  • Phone: (510) 885-3171
  • Office: SF 415
  • Office Hours: Mondays 8-10 AM, and by appointment
  • Home Page: /forensics/
    Note: CSUEB does not pre-approve, monitor, or edit personal pages. Faculty members are solely responsible for their content, and are expected to conform to the policy guidelines of CSUEB.

I am a proud first-generation student who attended CSU East Bay for my undergraduate studies. My career has spanned the fields of law enforcement, medicolegal death investigations, and technology, including managerial and executive positions. I am passionate about internships, student success, and data-driven research that shapes practices in law enforcement, forensic science, and higher education.

In May 2022, President Sandeen approved the creation of the Forensic Science Research Center (FSRC) at CSUEB. As the director of the FSRC, I look forward to bringing research, internship, education, and other collaborative opportunities to CSUEB students and our local community. 

My professional focus is in the fields of forensic science, medicolegal death investigation, law enforcement, criminal investigations, and first-generation student success.  I enjoy engaging students in research and look forward to many more collaborative research projects in the future.

  • B.S., Special Major Forensic Science - California State University - East Bay
  • M.F.S., Masters of Forensic Science - National University
  • Ed.D., Organizational Change and Leadership - University of Southern California

Not teaching this semester.

  • Rippy, M., & Jackson, S. (2023). Education, (re)training, and traffic stops: Felonious law enforcement officer deaths in the United States. International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice, 74(3). 
  • Rippy, M. (2023, June). City of Hayward: Proposition 47 Final Local Evaluation Report. Bureau of State
    and Community Corrections – Proposition 47 Cohort II Grants.
     
  • Jackson, S., Rippy, M., & Chaplin, T. (2023). Troubleshooting violence: An evaluation of ghost guns, firearm-related violence, and law enforcement policy in a Bay Area city. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 17. 
  • Jackson, S., & Rippy, M. (2022). When peace officers are killed: Profile of fatal felonious law enforcement traffic stop encounters in the United States. American Journal of Criminal Justice, online first.  
  • Rippy, M. (2021, August). City of Hayward: Proposition 47 Two-Year Preliminary Evaluation Report.
    Bureau of State and Community Corrections – Proposition 47 Cohort II Grants.
     
  • Rippy, M. (2021). A clear new way to identify decedents: The role of clear orthodontic appliances in forensic identification. Journal of Forensic Identification, 71(4), 263-274. 
  • Rippy, M. & Munoz, M. (2020). Designing authentic online courses intra- and post-pandemic in Studies. In R. Chan, K. Bista, & R. Allen (Eds), Online teaching and learning in higher education during COVID-19. Routledge. 
  • Rippy, M. (2020, July). Pencils to Patrol Cars. Police Chief, 87(7), 59.
  • Rippy, M. (2020). Thawing cold-cases in the classroom. Journal of Forensic Science Education, 2(1), 20-25.
  • Rippy, M., Munoz, M. (2019). Integration of engaging social justice assignments into online courses.
    Ubiquitous Learning, 12(2), 25-38. doi.org/10.18848/1835-9795/CGP/v12i02/25-38
  • Rippy, M. (2019). First-generation student hints, tips, and terms. In L. Ramirez (Ed.), You are not
    alone: Recipes to obtain success by students for students     (23-26). Velazquez Press.
  • Rippy, M. (2019). Careers in criminal justice. In L. Ramirez (Ed.), You are not alone: Recipes to obtain
    success by students for students     (116-119). Velazquez Press.
  • Rippy, M. (2019). Patronizing and Prostitution. In F Bernet & K. Frailing (Eds.), The Encyclopedia of Women and Crime.

  • Rippy, M. (2024, July). Cognitive bias in drug toxicity-related scene investigations. Presentation at the International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners in Las Vegas, NV.
  • Rippy, M. (2024, April). Evidence: Through the lens of convicted felons. Presentation at the California Association of Criminalists in Los Angeles, CA
  • Keyes,K., & Rippy, M. (2024, February). Standards development activities in medicolegal death investigation, including disaster victim identification. Accepted presentation at the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Conference in Denver, CO.
  • Rippy, M., Jackson, S., & Chaplin, T. (2023, October). Troubleshooting gun violence: An evaluation of ghost guns and firearm-related violence in a Bay Area City. Presentation at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference in San Diego, CA.
  • Rippy, M., & Jackson, S. (2023, August). Felonious peace officer deaths during traffic stops: Profile, Training, & Retraining. Presentation at the IACP Impaired Driving Training Safety Conference in Anaheim, CA.
  • Rippy, M., & Jackson, S. (2023, May). Troubleshooting violence: Firearm-related research data influencing action in a San Francisco Bay Area city. Poster presentation at the National Institute of Justice’s Research Conference in Arlington, VA.
  • Rippy, M., & Jackson, S. (2023, February). Troubleshooting violence: An evaluation of firearm-related violence. Presentation at the Western Society of Criminology in Vancouver, Canada, in February 2023.
  • Rippy, M. (2023, February). Avoiding alkynes of hiring issues: Bridging the undergraduate gap of academics to practice. Presentation accepted for the American Academy of Forensic Science Conference in Orlando, FL, in February 2023 [unable to complete due to illness].
  • Rippy, M. (2022, December). Killing time: Postmortem intervals in medicolegal investigations. Invited presentation for the Florida International University Forensic Science Seminar Series. Virtual.
  • Rippy, M., Saelee, S., & Esposito, F. (2022, November). Expanding student flexibility without increasing faculty workload: The HyFlex-Student Modality. Presentation at the Drivers of Educational Technology / California Higher Education Conference in Sacramento, CA.
  • Jackson, S., & Rippy, M. (2022). Troubleshooting violence: An evaluation of ghost guns and firearm-related violence in a Bay Area City. Accepted presentation at the American Society of Criminology Meeting in Atlanta, GA. Unable to attend due to state travel restrictions.
  • Rippy, M., & Jackson, S. (2022). Fatal felonious Peace Officer Deaths during Traffic Stops: Profile, Training, and retraining. Accepted presentation at the International Association of Chiefs of Police's Impaired Driving & Traffic Safety Conference in San Antonio, TX. Unable to attend due to state travel restrictions.
  • Jackson, S., & Rippy, M. (2022, March). Fatal felonious law enforcement traffic stops: The role of training, retraining, and vigilance decrement. Presentation at the annual Academy of Criminal Justice Studies Conference in Las Vegas, NV.
  • Rippy, M., & Jackson, S. (2022, February). The role of training and retraining in fatal felonious law enforcement traffic stop-related deaths. Accepted presentation at the annual Western Society of Criminology Conference in Honolulu, HI. Did not attend due to COVID.
  • Jackson, S., & Rippy, M. (2021, November). Felonious law enforcement deaths in the course of traffic stops: 1990-2020 in review. Presentation at the American Society of Criminology Annual Conference in Chicago, IL.
  • Rippy, M. (2020, September). The use of tympanic thermometers to narrow the time of death window. Presentation accepted for the International Association of Forensic Science annual conference in Sydney, Australia.  Conference cancelled due to COVID-19.
  • Rippy, M. (2020, June). First-generation student success in an hour or less. Presentation accepted for the NASPA Conference on Student Success in Higher Education in Baltimore, MD. Conference cancelled due to COVID-19.
  • Rippy, M., Munoz, M., & Borden, K. (2020, March). Student success in an hour or less.  Abstract accepted for the Annual CSU Symposium on Teaching and Learning in Fullerton, CA.  Conference cancelled due to COVID-19.
  • Rippy, M., & Munoz, M. (2020, March). Creating engaging online social justice assignments with a focus on community engagement. Presentation accepted at the 91探花 Compact’s Compact20 national conference in Seattle, WA.  Conference cancelled due to COVID-19.
  • Marwah, S., Rippy, M., & Jackson, S. (2019, November). Abductive reasoning in criminal investigations. Presentation by S. Marwah at the American Society of Criminology Annual Conference in San Francisco, CA.
  • Rippy, M. (2019, July). Increasing engagement, enhancing course knowledge, and fostering student success with volunteerism. Presentation at the EDU Learn Annual Conference, Palma de Mallorca, Spain. org/10.21125/edulearn.2019
  • Rippy, M. (2019, May). Family assistance centers in mass fatality incidents. Invited presentation at the California Association of Criminalists Annual Conference, Oakland, CA.
  • Rippy, M. (2019, May). Internships and collaborative learning for forensic science students in crime labs. Presentation at the California Association of Crime Lab Directors Annual Conference, Oakland, CA.
  • Rippy, M. (2019, April).  Time of death and identification in medicolegal death investigations.  Invited presentation at the California State Division of the International Association for Identification Annual Conference, Burlingame, CA.
  • Rippy, M. (2019, February).  The use of large-scale faux crime scenes and cold case coursework to teach forensic science in social science-based coursework. Presentation at the American Academy of Forensic Science Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD.
  • Rippy, M. (2019, January).  Time of death determination in medicolegal death investigations.  Presentation at the International Conference on Criminal Justice and Forensic Science, Bali, Indonesia.
  • Rippy, M. & CSUEB Office of the Online 91探花. (2018, November).  Becoming a QM believer – certification and institutional support.  Invited presentation at the Quality Matter’s Annual Conference, St. Louis, MO.
  • Rippy, M. & Saelee, C. (2018, October).  The pursuit of quality in criminal justice online coursework.  Presentation at the Western Association of Criminal Justice Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV.
  • Rippy, M. (2018, August).  Focus on our first-generation students.  Presentation at Back to the Bay CSU East Bay, Hayward, CA.
  • Rippy, M. (2018, May). Evidence Collection and Identification of Decedents in a Large Commercial Airplane Crash.  Presentation at the California Association of Criminalists Annual Conference, Concord, CA. 
  • Rippy, M. (2018, May).  Time of Death and Current Research.  Presentation at the California Association of Criminalists Annual Conference, Concord, CA.
  • Rippy, M. (2018, April).  Killing Time: Use of Tympanic Thermometers in Medicolegal Investigations. Poster presentation at the Faculty Research Symposium at CSU East Bay, Hayward, CA.
  • Rippy, M. (2018, April).  Improving Student Success and Increasing Understanding with Volunteerism. Presentation at the CSU Symposium + Polyteach Productive Disruption Conference at CSU Pomona, Pomona, CA.
  • Rippy, M. (2017, October).  High Impact Practices in the Classroom – Community Engagement. Presentation to Faculty working towards HIP certification at CSU East Bay, Hayward, CA.
  • Rippy, M. (2017, September).  Quality Matters Coursework and Certification.  Presentation to faculty at Back to the Bay at CSU East Bay, Hayward, CA.
  • Rippy, M. (2017, September).  Community Engagement in Coursework.  Presentation to faculty at Back to the Bay at CSU East Bay, Hayward, CA.
  • Rippy, M. (2017, July).  Major Case Study and Media Management.  Presentation for the International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners, Las Vegas, NV.
  • Komorosky, D. & Rippy, M. (2016, February).  The Use of Forensic Science in Wildlife Crime. Presentation for the Western Society of Criminology, Vancouver, BC.
  • Rippy, M. (2013, February).  Disaster Situations and Medicolegal Death Investigations.  Presentation at the San Francisco International Airport, Millbrae, CA.
  • Taylor, M. & Rippy, M. (2007-2008).  Hotel and Motel Interdiction and Undercover Operations. Presentation for the California Narcotics Officers Association, Various locations in CA.
  • Taylor, M. & Rippy, M. (2007, November).  Hotel and Motel Interdiction and Undercover Operations. Presentation for the Annual California Narcotics Officers Association Conference, Reno, NV.

  • Rippy, M. (2024, February). Program Evaluation for the City of Fremont Police Department's Organized Retail Theft Prevention Grant Program, Board of State and Community Corrections subgrant. Awarded $75,000, ending June 2027.
  • Rippy, M. (2023, December). Program Evaluation for the City of Newark Police Department’sOrganized Retail Theft  Prevention Grant Program, Board of State and Community Corrections subgrant. Awarded $75,000, ending June 2027.
  • Rippy, M. (2023, September). Increasing STEM diversity through engaging undergraduate student research in experiential and innovative forensic science contexts. National Science Foundation Award #2310438 for $349,934. PI.
  • Westlake, B., Rippy, M., & Parks, S. (2023, July). SaTC-EDU: Improving computer forensic curricula through hands-on hardware and software training and practical experience processing evidence from active criminal cases. National Science Foundation Award #2304753 for $498,507. Co-PI.
  • Jackson, S., & Rippy, M. (2022, June). Research and evaluation of firearm-related crime. City of Hayward. Awarded $75,000.
  • Rippy, M. (2022, May). 2022-2023 Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Support Grant. Awarded $7000.
  • Rippy, M. (2021, April). Research Associate for Hyflex-Student Pilot Evaluation. Awarded $2000.
  • Rippy, M. (2021, March). Assigned Time for Exceptional Level of Service to Students. Awarded 2 WTU.
  • Rippy, M. (2020, December). California POST Coroner Course Redesign. California Peace Officer Standards and Training.  Awarded $20,000.
  • Rippy, M. (2020, October). Program Evaluation for the City of Hayward's Navigation Center. City of Hayward. Awarded $50,000.
  • Rippy, M. (2020, April). Assigned Time for Exceptional Level of Service to Students. Awarded 3 WTU.
  • Rippy, M. (2019, December). Adobe Award for Digital Storytelling. $1000 award.
  • Rippy, M. (2019, March). Assigned Time for Exceptional Level of Service to Students. Awarded 2 WTU.
  • Rippy, M. (2019, March). ALS Advocate – Reduction in Textbook Costs. $1000 award.
  • Rippy, M. (2018, October). First-Generation Freshmen Success Cohort – GI 2025 funding. Awarded
    $6500 for Fall 2019 and $3500 for Spring 2019.
  • Rippy, M. (2018, September). Online and Hybrid Course Transformation Grant. Awarded $2500 for
    CRJA 3800 – Forensic Science.
  • Rippy, M. (2017, November).  Faculty Support Grant for Time of Death Research.  Awarded $5000.
  • Rippy, M. (2017, July).  Online and Hybrid Course Quality Transformation Grant.  Awarded $2500 for CRJA 3400 – Advanced Criminal Investigation.
  • Rippy, M. (2017, February).  Online and Hybrid Course Quality Transformation Grant.  Awarded $4500 for CRJA 3300 – Crime Prevention and Control.
  • Rippy, M. (2016, October).  Online and Hybrid Course Quality Transformation Grant.  Awarded $4500 for CRJA 2200 – Basic Criminal Investigation.

Current:

  • CSUEB Police Department Sergeant Search Committee (09/2024 to current)
  • CSUEB University Budget Advisory Committee (09/2024 to current)
  • CSUEB ILO Subcommittee (08/2024 to current)
  • CSUEB Academic Senate Executive Committee Member (08/2024 to current)
  • CSUEB Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs Advisory Council (10/2023 to current)
  • CSUEB CLASS Advising Subcommittee (10/2023 to current)
  • CSUEB Academic Senator (10/2023 to current)
  • CSUEB Alumni Board Immediate Past President (07/2023 to current)
  • American Academy of Forensic Science Academy Standards Board - Medicolegal Death Investigation Consensus Body (11/2022 to current)
  • OSAC-NIST Medicolegal Death Investigations Subcommittee - Executive Secretary (03/2021 to current)
  • CSUEB Police Department Community Engagement Taskforce (02/2021 to current)
  • Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) - Medicolegal Investigations Member (10/2020 to current)
  • CSUEB Equitable Student Experience Subcommittee (09/2020 to current)
  • CSUEB Service-Learning Ad Hoc Subcommittee of CIC(01/2019 to current)
  • CSUEB Student Success and Retention Subcommittee (04/2018 to current)
  • Board Member of the International Association of Coroners & Medical Examiners (11/2016 to current)
  • CSUEB Volunteer Team Leader for the SF Building (2016 to current)

Previous:

  • CSUEB Provost Search Committee Co-Chair (12/2023 to 05/2023)
  • CSUEB Police Chief Search Committee (09/2023 to 11/2023)
  • CSUEB Board Member of the California State University East Bay Alumni Association (07/2017 to 07/2023)
  • CSUEB Alumni Association President (07/2021 to 06/2023)
  • CSUEB Educational Foundation Board of Trustees Ex-Officio Trustee (08/2021 to 06/2023)
  • International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners - Treasurer (07/2021 to 07/2022)
  • CSUEB Disruptive Behavior Taskforce (08/2021 to 05/2022)
  • CSUEB Faculty Senate Secretary (08/2019 to 05/2021)
  • CSUEB Faculty Senator (10/2017 to 05/2021)
  • CSUEB UDO Classroom De-escalation Taskforce (10/2020 to 06/2021)
  • CSUEB 91探花 Strategic Planning Committee (01/2020 to 12/2020)
  • CSUEB Rapid Action Advisory II Co-Chair (04/2020 to 07/2020)
  • CSUEB University Writing Skills Requirement Taskforce (09/2019 to 05/2020)
  • CSUEB New Student Orientation Taskforce (09/2019 to 05/2020)
  • CSUEB Rapid Action Advisory Co-Chair (03/2020 to 04/2020)
  • CSUEB College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences Elections Committee (09/2019)
  • CSUEB Criminal Justice Department Faculty Search Committee (08/2019 to 12/2019)
  • CSUEB Faculty Learning Community – Teaching with Technology (11/2018 to 05/2019)
  • CSUEB Student Success Services Task Force (02/2019 to 04/2019)
  • CSUEB Climate Action Plan (CAP IT) Committee (10/2018 to 05/2019)
  • CSUEB 91探花 Sustainability Committee (11/2016 to 05/2019)
  • CSUEB Title IX Task Force – CSU East Bay (02/2016 to 12/2017)
  • CSUEB Faculty and Staff 2019 Giving Campaign Co-Chair – Gown for Grads Initiative (Fall 2019)
  • CSUEB Faculty and Staff 2018 Giving Campaign Co-Chair (Fall 2018)
  • CSUEB Institutional Learning Outcome in Social Responsibility – Faculty Assessment (Spring 2018)
  • CSUEB Faculty in Residence – Faculty Learning Community for Social Justice Course Overlays (10/2017 to 06/2018)
  • CSUEB Ad Hoc Committee on Sustainability (10/2016 to 06/2017)
  • CSUEB Faculty Learning Community – Student Success (11/2016 to 06/2017)
  • CSUEB Semester Conversion for the Department of Criminal Justice (04/2015 to 09/2015)

  • 2021: CSUEB's Exceptional Level of Service to Students for AY 2021-2022
  • 2021: NACADA Region 9 Excellence in Advising - Faculty Advisor Award
  • 2020: CSUEB Alumni Association's 40 Under 40 Recipient
  • 2020: NACADA's Outstanding Advising Award Certificate of Merit in Faculty Advising
  • 2020: CSUEB Diversity Advisory Council’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Scholarly, Programmatic, or Artistic Output Award
  • 2020: CSUEB’s Exceptional Level of Service to Students for AY 2020-2021
  • 2019: CSUEB's Student Organization Leadership & Recognition Outstanding Staff/Faculty Advisor
  • 2019: CSUEB’s Exceptional Level of Service to Students for AY 2019-2020
  • 2018: CSUEB’s Exceptional Level of Service to Students for AY 2018-2019
  • 2010: County of San Mateo Employee of the Month - August 2010