Faculty

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.

Regretfully, I must announce the passing of Professor Emeritus Charlie Shoemaker on April 13, 2026. Charlie was an internationally renowned food scientist, educator, mentor and collaborator.  His career with UC Davis spanned 35 years, including 10 years as department chair. He was an authority in the physical chemistry of foods, specifically how the composition of polymers affected texture and processing methods.

Congratulations to FST and BAE's Dr. Nitin Nitin, one of 27 new IUFoST Fellows for 2026!

13 April 2026 - The International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) is proud to present the 15th class of outstanding food scientists and technologists to be elected to the International Academy of Food Science and Technology (IAFoST). These 27 new Fellows will be inducted by the Academy Executive Council, led by Professor Fereidoon Shahidi, IAFoST President, in October 2026 at the 23rd IUFoST World Food Congress to be held in Hong Kong.

Four simple ingredients and one bold idea helped a group of students turn their low-fat dairy spread creation into a first-place win by reimagining what a schmear can be. Their product earned the top prize in a dairy innovation competition hosted by the student-run Food Tech Club at UC Davis.