Saskia van de Gevel’s work spans continents, from researching endangered mountain forests in the United States to studying environmental stewardship strategies in national parks across Europe and Africa.

The new dean of the College of Natural Resources and Environment (CNRE) brings a global perspective shaped by living in both the Netherlands and the United States and by her interest in diverse forest ecosystems worldwide. These interwoven experiences fuel van de Gevel’s commitment to global learning and the value of cross-cultural environmental understanding.

Van de Gevel officially got to work July 1 after serving as the department chair and professor in Appalachian State University’s Department of Geography and Planning.

She talked about her journey from the Netherlands to Blacksburg, her leadership style, and how the college is positioned for growth.

Tell us about your background and how natural resources played a role in your early life.

I’ve always felt a deep connection to the outdoors. Growing up in Pittsburgh, I camped, backpacked, and went on caving and whitewater rafting adventures in southwestern Pennsylvania, and those experiences instilled in me a love for exploration and an appreciation for the natural world. An important moment that stands out was a family trip to Yosemite National Park. Standing among the giant sequoia trees and the Half Dome granite cliffs gave me a sense of wonder about forests, landscapes, and the glacial forces that shape them. That feeling has stayed with me ever since and was the reason I studied forestry and geography. It led to a career focused on forest ecology, biogeography, and conservation, grounded in curiosity and hands-on, field-based learning.

What drew you to the dean’s position at Virginia Tech?

CNRE’s mission aligns closely with my values. I’ve long admired the college’s integration of research excellence, experiential learning, and community engagement. I’ve collaborated with Virginia Tech CNRE faculty and Extension agents in the past and have always been impressed by the strong culture of innovation and applied science. I see this role as an opportunity to help prepare students for workforce success, strengthen partnerships across the commonwealth, and elevate the college’s leadership in addressing future environmental challenges.

Forestry is Virginia’s second largest private industry. What do you see as the college’s role in this industry?

CNRE is uniquely positioned to serve as a bridge between Virginia’s forestry industry and the next generation of natural resource and environmental professionals. We prepare students not only with the foundational science and technical skills needed to succeed in forestry and forest products careers, but also with critical field experiences that give them direct exposure to industry operations, from sustainable harvesting and mill visits to silvicultural research and timber policy analysis.

Our faculty are engaged in applied research that addresses real-world challenges facing forest landowners, industry leaders, and state agencies, ranging from climate-smart forestry to innovations in wood products and supply chain resilience. These research efforts also serve as living laboratories for students to engage in, helping them see the direct link between classroom learning and industry impact.

By embedding experiential learning into our curriculum and working closely with our alumni and industry partners across the state, CNRE helps students imagine their future careers while actively contributing to the long-term health and economic vitality of Virginia’s forest sector.

In what ways do you see the fisheries and wildlife management research portfolio contributing to Virginia’s environmental, economic, or public policy goals?

Our fisheries and wildlife faculty and students are deeply involved in research that has both ecological and societal relevance, from the recovery of endangered species to habitat restoration, invasive species management, and aquatic health from local to global scales. This work not only supports Virginia’s biodiversity and recreational heritage, but also informs state and federal policy decisions that affect natural resource stewardship and rural economies.

We emphasize giving students real-world research experiences, whether through electrofishing surveys in Appalachian streams, camera trapping in coastal wetlands, or working alongside agency biologists on policy-relevant questions. These experiences prepare students for impactful careers in government, NGOs [nongovernmental organizations], and private consulting while also igniting their passion for solving complex environmental problems.

Our goal is to ensure students understand that science is deeply connected to funding opportunities, community needs, and long-term sustainability. CNRE plays a central role in building that awareness and giving students the tools and networks they need to lead in this space.

How do you envision Virginia Tech’s packaging program contributing to and influencing the broader national packaging industry?

Packaging plays a critical role in every product’s lifecycle, affecting sustainability, material use, and global logistics. Our packaging systems and design program at CNRE combines material science, innovation, and circular economy thinking to prepare students for one of the fastest-growing segments of the manufacturing and retail industries.

Students work on real packaging challenges with faculty and corporate partners — like Ikea and Amazon — using state-of-the-art labs and design software. CNRE students are gaining the interdisciplinary training that the modern packaging industry demands.

Our program is also strongly research-driven, with faculty contributing to national conversations around sustainable materials, recyclability, and packaging waste reduction. By placing students in research labs, internships, and industry-sponsored projects, we not only build strong career pipelines but also help students see how their design decisions can impact environmental outcomes and business success at a global scale.

What is something you are excited to learn about as you join the college?

I’m excited to go on a listening tour and learn more about the day-to-day experiences and aspirations of CNRE’s faculty, staff, and students. I’ll be launching a Coffee and Conversation with the Dean series this fall — both in person and virtually — to connect with people across the college and the commonwealth. I want to understand what is working, where we can grow, and how we can collectively advance the college’s impact, from classrooms and labs to communities and partnership across Virginia.

How did your upbringing influence your career path?

Living in both the Netherlands and the United States exposed me to different landscapes, cultural approaches to land use, and ways of thinking about conservation at an early age. That international perspective shaped my commitment to global learning and biodiversity stewardship. My academic journey began with fieldwork and internships in forestry. My undergraduate internships at Harvard Forest and Tall Timbers Research Station were critical. They not only developed my technical skills, but also showed me the importance of critical thinking and problem solving in applied fieldwork settings.

What are the most gratifying experiences of your career so far?

Some of the most meaningful experiences in my career have come from working through complex challenges as a team. Leading my department through the COVID-19 pandemic and then through the disruption of a major building flood showed me the value of resilience, adaptability, and community. I also find deep satisfaction in mentoring students, especially when they apply classroom learning to field-based research, internships, and job placements that make a meaningful impact. Watching students build confidence and direction in their careers through their college experiences is incredibly rewarding.