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.
The holidays are upon us, and we hope you can sit down to a meal with family and friends once again this season. Our upcoming events highlight delicious additions to your table.
Before we look forward, let’s look back. Our Savor event at the end of October about breast milk and infant health was lively and informative! The innovative, game show-style format was engaging, and I encourage you to watch the video recording. You won’t regret it.
This month we celebrate the return to traditions, but with new safety measures.
In-person classes start this week, and there is a welcome buzz of students on campus. Face coverings change the landscape of smiling faces, but the energy and enthusiasm are still palpable.
