“Act. The world needs doers, leaders. The challenges we face including energy and sustainability aren’t going to solve themselves.”
Dr. David Ripplinger is the Faculty Mentor from North Dakota State University. This is Dr. Ripplinger’s second year with the CABLE program and he has great perspective on the value that CABLE brings through leadership development.
Q: What university are you the Faculty Mentor for and what is your area of expertise?
Dr. Ripplinger: North Dakota State University. I’m an economist by training. I work as member of a number of different teams to address challenges facing the bioeconomy from feedstock production and logistics, policy, trade, and biorefinery economics.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
My wife and I have five children from the age of 2 to 12. I look forward to having free time in 2034!
What attracted you to becoming a mentor for the CABLE program and what do you hope to gain from your experience?
I knew Dennis Hall previously and jumped at the chance to work with him, OBIC, and the CABLE team. I look forward to my mentee, Kaleb Sell, getting the experience of a lifetime in CABLE and for me to have the continued opportunity to interact with the amazing people involved with the program.
How do you think being a mentor for CABLE Student Delegates will impact their leadership development?
Formal leadership development is rare. Professionals are often mid-career before they are given the chance to focus on leadership and hone their skills, if ever. CABLE’s leadership development component is first class and tailored uniquely to a field that needs more leaders.
If you could pass on any wisdom to CABLE Student Delegates, what would you share?
Just the cliché that you’ll get out of this what you put into it. Take advantage.
What is the most important leadership lesson you’ve learned and how is it valuable?
Act. The world needs doers, leaders. The challenges we face including energy and sustainability aren’t going to solve themselves. There are many ways to contribute, but they require active and continual engagement to make the differences that need to be made.