It feels like we are on the cusp of Summer, with warmer temperatures bringing bees and blooms to the Good Life Garden at the heart of the Robert Mondavi Institute.
As you may have heard, after five years as director, I am leaving the Robert Mondavi Institute at the end of June, one year after my professorship retirement. The Dean’s Office is searching for the next director, ideally a professor with a passion for public outreach, and hopes to appoint my replacement by July 1.
It may still be raining in Northern California, but the winter quarter is ending for students with finals next week, and the trees on campus are starting to bloom! Spring ushers in a busy time with many intriguing events.
The Robert Mondavi Institute started the year with two sold-out Sips and Bites events. It was wonderful to see the Sensory Theater packed with attendees!
2023 started with extreme weather in Northern California with prolonged flooding, power outages, and many fallen trees on campus and in surrounding communities. We welcome the much-needed rain but are also grateful for sunny skies this week as we recover.
The holidays arrived quickly this year, and while it is a time for reflection and celebrations with family, we are also busy planning a great line-up of events for 2023.
Last Saturday, our TASTE food and wine-tasting fundraiser welcomed more than 300 people to a beautiful evening in the Good Life Garden. It featured some of the best local and regional wineries, breweries, restaurants, and UC Davis centers and initiatives. Our sold-out event raised $9,000 for the UC Davis Student Farm! We are proud to support their work and encourage you to visit their website to learn more and donate directly.
The UC Davis campus is buzzing with energy with the return of students and the start of the fall quarter. We saw unprecedented rainfall this week, which brought a feeling of a fresh new beginning and a change of season.
Fall also ushers in a busy season of educational and entertaining events with more in-person opportunities to attend. We will also have live broadcast virtual options for most experiences if you join from out of the area.
Even with the high temperatures this week, you can feel fall approaching. The grape harvest has started in the teaching vineyard at the Robert Mondavi Institute, and the campus is gearing up for the return of students next month.
You may have heard via the Viticulture and Enology newsletter that I will retire as a professor at the end of this month. Attending the commencement ceremonies was especially poignant as I walked across the stage with my last Ph.D. student and Master’s student. I enjoyed working with enology students the most, helping them find their way, and making contacts for internships and full-time positions that helped advance their career and personal goals.
It feels like we just returned to campus in the fall, but we are fast approaching the end of the academic year with commencements in early June. It has been wonderful to see the Robert Mondavi Institute alive with in-person celebrations.
Spring has sprung, and it's hard to believe we are almost to May. But I'd like to take a moment to reflect on 2021 and share our Year in Review publication that highlights our achievements. I am proud of the outreach events my staff, collaborators, and I have offered on various topics.
It’s hard to believe we are entering our third year of the pandemic. I’m proud of the Institute’s ability to remain flexible and innovative as we’ve continued to adapt to the ever-changing landscape.
