Students

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!  

A Sensory Experiment with Korean Street Food

Researchers Study How Context Influences Perceptions of Unfamiliar Foods


In South Korea, a popular street food offers a unique twist on the corndog – featuring a hot dog or mozzarella cheese coated in thick, crispy batter, deep-fried and topped with pieces of French fries, ketchup and a sprinkle of sugar.

For Daniel Schoonbrood, a Ph.D. student studying food science at UC Davis, his first taste of this savory snack left a lasting impression.

Congratulations to this year's Viticulture and Enology Scholarship Recipients

Congratulations to all students who received scholarships and awards this year. The Department is grateful to the generous donors who make these opportunities possible.  

The Domaine Carneros Le Rêve Scholarship Award 
Rachel Smith

David E. Gallo Educational Enhancement Award 
Victoria Lasch

Heck Memorial Scholarship
Nikita Kodjak
Chris Severt

International Wine and Food Science Award 
Fallon Ely

2024 Harvest Recap

Thank you to everyone who participated in 2024’s harvest, from staff and faculty to all our students, researchers, and scholars. We appreciate all their hard work. 

We had the great surprise of having Chancellor May and his lovely wife tour the winery in an episode of “That May Be the Chancellor”. 

Course Profile: VEN 101A – Viticultural Practices

Grapevine cultivar diversity is extraordinarily large. Whether we talk about wine, table, or raisin cultivars, as well as the rootstocks on which they are grafted, the diversity is remarkable—not only in fruit and enological characteristics but also in their performance in the field. Choosing the right cultivar and rootstock for a specific vineyard is a complex decision that requires a deep understanding of the plant materials, the vineyard’s terroir, and the market.

Student Profile: Kaitlin Libbey

Student Standing
Second-year Ph.D. student.

Degree/Focus: Horticulture and Agronomy Graduate Group, focusing on climate change and viticulture. My research explores how climate influences quality traits in Chardonnay grapes, specifically acids, polyphenols, and aromatic precursors.

Hometown:
San Francisco, CA.

2024 International Symposium on Science and Culture of Alcoholic Beverages honors Shoemaker contributions

On November 4-5 local time, the "2024 International Symposium on Alcohol Science and Culture," co-hosted by Jiangnan University and the University of California, Davis, took place at UC Davis. Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of Jiangnan University, Professor Wei Chen, along with UC Davis Vice Provost of Global Affairs, Professor Joanna Regulska, attended the opening ceremony as conference co-chairs and delivered keynote speeches.

FST 160 - Concept to Container

Food science students at UC Davis gain hands-on experience in the Food Product Development class. They come up with a new food concept, develop prototypes, analyze consumer demand, design packaging and marketing concepts and finally present it to an audience of tasters.