For Gina Tripicchio, food is not just about what’s on the plate—it’s about the environments, experiences, and choices that shape how we eat. It’s a perspective that defines her work at the Temple University Barnett College of Public Health, where she blends research expertise, teaching passion, and applied public health.

Tripicchio’s path to academia began not in a lab, but in New York City classrooms, where she taught middle and high school science. That experience revealed a connection that continues to shape her work today: the powerful role food, behavior, and environment play in overall health.

“As adults, we have been socialized around diet culture and norms of thinness,” she says, citing one example of how environment can shape eating behaviors. “Those influences can lead to unhealthy relationships with food.”

Tripicchio’s academic training spans psychology, public health nutrition, and education, giving her a multidisciplinary perspective that informs both her research and teaching. At Temple, her scholarship focuses on nutrition behavior change—examining how individuals and families make food decisions within complex social and environmental contexts.

“We often forget that the purpose of eating is to support our health,” she asserts. “Where you live, where you work, and what you have access to play a major role in your diet.”

Rather than promoting rigid rules, Tripicchio’s work emphasizes practical, evidence-based strategies that meet people where they are. “Food is deeply personal,” she explains. “When people have the knowledge and skills to navigate nutrition in a way that works for them, it leads to healthier, more sustainable outcomes.”

That philosophy comes to life in her role as director of the Aramark Community Teaching Kitchen at Paley Hall. The 2,000-square-foot facility features multiple cooking stations and a demonstration area for instruction.

Under Tripicchio’s leadership, the kitchen has become a dynamic learning environment where students, faculty, and community members develop foundational food skills while connecting nutrition science to everyday life. It supports hands-on education, interdisciplinary collaboration, and applied research—bridging theory and practice in a way that reflects Temple’s mission.

By seamlessly integrating research, teaching, and real-world application, Tripicchio exemplifies student-centered public health education. Her work not only advances nutrition science but also equips students with practical skills they can carry into their communities and careers.