I am pleased to share the 2024 Robert Mondavi Institute Year in Review. I hope you will read about last year's RMI highlights and accomplishments with a focus on student engagement and partnerships. You can find all of our reports on the RMI website.

This year has been tumultuous for higher education, science and research. While UC Davis navigates the uncertainty, the RMI remains committed to supporting the Department of Food Science and Technology, the Department of Viticulture and Enology, the UC Davis Olive Center, and the campus at large by sharing its food and beverage research with the general public. It's more important than ever to showcase the impact of science and research to everyone.

The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences recently welcomed Dean Ashley Stokes, taking the helm after the 11-year tenure of Dean Helene Dillard. While giving Dean Stokes her first tour of the RMI facilities, we had a very productive discussion and both agreed that the Robert Mondavi Institute plays a significant role at UC Davis as the premier public venue for food and beverage-related events on campus.

I am proud of the array of topics the institute showcased in 2024, including strawberry breeding, regenerative agriculture, food justice, and wine health, which we continue to delve into this year. The upcoming Savor: Is Wine Healthy? Exploring Science and Culture Inside the Wine Glass sold out in just a few days, but we will share the event recording for anyone who missed out on attending.  

Looking at 2025, we have partnerships coming to fruition through upcoming events. Firstly, KVIE PBS will host an evening with Pati Jinich on September 3 at the Crest Theater. Pati is an award-winning chef and TV host known for her bestselling cookbooks and PBS shows. Pati will share captivating stories from her culinary adventures and insights on the connection between food and culture in conversation with Charlotte Biltekoff, who serves as the Darrell Corti Endowed Professor in Food, Wine, and Culture at UC Davis.

Secondly, Terra Madre Americas is coming to Sacramento on September 26-28. Modeled after the bi-annual Terra Madre Salon del Gusto in Turin, Italy, Terra Madre Americas is a first-of-its-kind free weekend of food and drink tastings, educational panels, demonstrations and artisan vendors from all over the Americas. It’s an international confluence of interactive experiences sharing culture, history, and innovation. UC Davis will have a large presence and you’ll see faculty, staff and students showcasing their work and knowledge. I hope you can join us!

I look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event, and thank you for your ongoing support. Please encourage others by sharing our annual report or forwarding our newsletter to friends and colleagues. Now more than ever, it's important to support science, research and public scholarship.

Thank you,

Ned Spang
Director, Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science
Associate Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology

View the entire August 2025 newsletter.