Extension/Outreach

2025 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium

 

UC Davis Viticulture and Enology (V&E) faculty, staff, and students represented the department at the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium, January 29 and 30, 2025, at the Sacramento Convention Center. Our team’s booth and engagement with industry leaders highlighted the department's innovative research, cutting-edge approaches to teaching, evolving curriculum, new faculty, and our continuing leadership.

Spring Extension Update

 

The UC Davis V&E Extension Team organized and presented several programs since the beginning of the year. We hosted two “On Campus” programs. The first, on February 19th, was titled, Exploring different aspects of vine health.

Viticulture & Enology Student Outreach Events

Our on-campus student outreach saw great momentum this winter, as we welcomed a wide range of visitors and collaborators. We hosted junior college counselors and presidents, middle and high school students from the Napa Valley area, and launched a new collaboration with the Lodi Appellation Inclusion Collective. Additionally, our undergraduate advisor Liz and the team did a phenomenal job encouraging admitted students to enroll at Aggie Day and Picnic Day.

New! Food Tech Club Alumni Network Interest Form

The Food Tech Club (FTC) at UC Davis is starting a Food Tech Club Alumni Network. We are currently looking to find alumni who would be willing to serve as network leaders as we first build this network. The current goals of the network are to help alumni stay connected to each other and to stay updated on the activities of the Food Tech Club. Sign up if you are interested in learning more about being a network leader and help us spread the word to your UCD community!

Selina Wang talks oils on The Dave Chang Show podcast

FST's Selina Wang is the guest on today's The Dave Chang Show podcast, where she, Dave, and host Chris Ying discuss the hot topic of seed oils and other cooking oils - what is healthy and why? Dave shares his opinions as a chef and restaurateur, and Selina explains some chemistry, along with factors like dose, time, temperature, and the fact that people are not rats.  Tune in at 14:46 minutes for the start of her segment, which ends around 1:01 hr. The whole video is 1 hr. 25 min and is rated explicit for language. 

New Center Expands Food Safety Training and Support for Growers

Small and diverse farms are a vital part of California’s food system, but navigating food safety regulations can be challenging, especially for those with limited access to training and resources. To bridge this gap, UC Davis is leading an effort to establish the California Center for Food Safety, a new hub offering growers the education and support they need to meet food safety standards.

Food Tech Club News Fall 2024

The Food Tech Club (FTC) is a student chapter of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT). Our goal is to help students find connections and passion in food research, industry, and beyond! In fall quarter, we had many great opportunities to share knowledge with each other, and to bond as a community. In November, we hosted a scallion pancake food demo, aimed to teach people how to cook unique cuisines!  

Viticulture & Enology Winter Extension Update

 

The UC Davis V & E Extension Team organized and presented a few programs in the fall. On November 20, 2024, we were in Temecula! Megan Bartlett, Dave Block, Ron Runnebaum, Akif Eskalen, Tian Tian, and Axel Herrera were the presenters. There were about 100 attendees from both Riverside and San Diego Counties!  The topics covered ranged from the latest information on grapevine trunk diseases, powdery mildew and Botrytis bunch rot in vineyards; to how to properly clean and sanitize and do it more sustainably; to irrigation management, vine nutrition and regenerative practices.

Fall Outreach Events

 

During the fall quarter, our outreach and communications team had an incredible experience visiting over 12 community colleges and high schools to attend college fair events. Alejandra engaged with future students, sharing the amazing opportunities in the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology (V & E). On these trips, our team brought new marketing material tailored for our different audiences that helped outline the major requirements and career opportunities.