Students

Graphic banner: Regenerative Agriculture Research Symposium — June 16–17, Nashville

Zhuo Chen selected for CPS Professional Development Program 2026

Food Science and Technology

Congratulations to Zhuo Chen, Ph.D. candidate in Dr. Luxin Wang's lab, who has been selected along with six others to be in the Center for Produce Safety's Professional Development Program for 2026.  

The Center for Produce Safety (CPS) congratulates the recipients selected for the 2026 Professional Development Program Awards. On behalf of the CPS Board of Directors, Vice Chair Charles Leftwich (Sysco Corporation) recognizes these emerging professionals for their commitment to produce safety, scientific excellence, and future industry leadership.

People talking by trellised vines in a sunny farm field under blue sky

Spring 2026 Student Outreach

Viticulture and Enology

Our on-campus student outreach efforts maintained strong momentum throughout the spring, as we welcomed a diverse range of visitors and collaborators. This quarter, we hosted community college counselors and administrators and middle and high school students from the Lodi and Napa Valley regions. In addition, our undergraduate advisor, Liz, and the broader team demonstrated exceptional leadership in engaging admitted students during Aggie Day and Picnic Day, encouraging prospective Aggies to enroll at UC Davis.

A person wearing safety glasses, a light gray hoodie, and jeans smiles while standing beside a wine barrel in a winery or fermentation lab. They hold a wine thief in one hand, sampling liquid from the barrel, and two test tubes filled with dark red liquid in the other. Multiple barrels are visible in the background behind glass.

Student Profile: Andrea Villaseñor

Viticulture and Enology

Andrea Villaseñor is a 4th-year Viticulture & Enology undergraduate student. Find out more about Andrea and her experience studying in the program. 

Degree / focus / interest areas:
B.S. in Viticulture & Enology. I am focused on the winemaking industry and interested in gaining more experience in both cellar and lab work to better understand the full winemaking process.

Where are you from originally?
I am originally from Calistoga, California, in the Napa Valley.

Smiling woman pointing at a large academic poster on a hallway wall

Sheryl Long wins NCIFT grad student poster competition

Food Science and Technology

Sheryl Long, a Ph.D. student co-advised by Drs. Luxin Wang and Erin DiCaprio, won the graduate student poster competition organized by the Northern California Section of the Institute of Food Technologists. Her research, titled “Survival of Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli in Hydroponic Nutrient Solution,” assessed the behavior of common foodborne pathogens in fresh and recirculating nutrient solutions and provided scientific data for the risk assessment of fresh produce cultivated in controlled environment agriculture. 

UC Davis Viticulture and Enology students, staff and interns pose behind bins of grapes in the vineyard

2025 Harvest Highlights

Viticulture and Enology

Every harvest brings its own unique season and a wonderful group of students to work with. We are grateful to everyone who contributed this year: staff, faculty, students, researchers, and scholars. Between August 13 and October 16, 2025, we processed 54.4 U.S. tons of fruit across 20 grape cultivars.

Man stands in front of a grapevine talking to a group of students

Fall 2025 Student Outreach

Viticulture and Enology
 

We kicked off the fall quarter with our annual department BBQ, bringing together students, faculty, and staff for a lively start to the year. Our DEVO and WIW students took charge of the grill, while faculty and staff warmly welcomed both new and returning students. Liz, the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology (V&E) advisor, shared thoughtful words as she embraced this enthusiastic new cohort. Our Chair, Ben, concluded the event with encouraging remarks that set a positive tone for the year ahead.

Victoria Lasch sits on a barrel in the UC Davis Teaching & Research Winery

Student Profile: Victoria Lasch

Viticulture and Enology

Student standing: 
Second-year master’s student (graduating in Spring 2026)

Degree/Focus/interest areas: 
Viticulture and Enology, primarily interested in winemaking.

Where are you from originally? 
I am from Issaquah, WA, and have been based there for about a decade, although my family is originally from Northern California.

What brought you to UC Davis? 

Gwen Gonzalez

Floundering to Food Science - My Journey and Advice for Undecided Majors

Food Science and Technology

Back in high school, I had no doubt that college was the next step. However, the pressure of choosing a major was colossal! It felt like choosing the rest of my life when asked to select a major. I knew I wanted to do something creative, but I didn’t want to throw away all of my hard-earned A’s in physics, chemistry, and biology. After switching the major option about a hundred times, I finally registered under Undecided - Fine Arts for UC Davis.

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