Awards and honors continue to roll in for the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology (V&E) faculty. We’re thrilled to share that our very own V&E Professor Dario Cantù has been named one of 471 newly elected Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)! These fellows are recognized for their exceptional achievements in science, including research, teaching, administration and science communication. Professor Cantù is celebrated “for [his] distinguished contributions to our understanding of grapevine genetics and genomics, excellence in fostering applications of science for the advancement of society worldwide, and teaching excellence.” 
 

Professor Sue Ebeler was awarded the 2024 Women & Philanthropy Impact Award for her exceptional leadership in fostering student success and her global impact. With over 30 years at UC Davis, she has created avenues of mentorship for students, particularly women, through initiatives like Aggie Jumpstart and Aggie Ambassadors. Ebeler is a globally recognized expert in her field, with over 200 peer-reviewed publications and international presentations covering topics such as wine flavor chemistry, sensory science, and methods for enhancing undergraduate student experiences. She chose to direct the $25,000 award towards supporting these programs, reflecting her commitment to academic excellence and student empowerment.
 

In April, Professor Ron Runnebaum represented the department at the AVEVA World Conference focused on Accelerating Industrial Intelligence. He accepted the 2025 Sustainable Impact Award on behalf of V&E. This award celebrates the department's pioneering sustainability efforts and its role in transforming the wine industry. As leaders in viticulture research, V&E faculty are developing technologies to address challenges related to energy, water, labor and greater variability in growing conditions.

By leveraging advanced digital tools such as the AVEVA PI System, the department enhances winemaking efficiency by streamlining operations and utilizing real-time data, which significantly reduces water and energy consumption. By incorporating predictive technologies, our winery demonstrates approaches to strengthen operational resilience and addresses the growing challenges posed by greater variability in water and labor availability, and growing conditions. We applaud Professor Runnebaum and James Nelson (Sustainability Engineer at the UC Davis Teaching & Research Winery) for their leadership and vision in this transformative work.