Summertime is officially here! We're so proud of all the graduates honored at commencement ceremonies this month. The campus is quiet now, and we'll take time to plan our events for the next academic year, develop our strategic plan, and prepare for a busy fall.

The UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden recently worked with Cork Supply to demonstrate how cork is traditionally harvested to become wine bottle closures. I encourage you to read the article on our blog and watch the video of this historic event. If you are a Davis local, you can see the trees as they regrow the cork bark layer. It's a fascinating process!

Last week, in partnership with the UC Davis Library, we presented Savor: The Dirt-y Solution to Climate Change. You can now watch the video on our YouTube channel. It was a rich conversation about the successes and challenges of regenerative agriculture, its many opportunities to positively impact the environment and grow more nutrient-dense foods.

During their project showcase, the students in the Food Product Development course (FST 160) presented their original food products to audience members. They spent the 10-week spring quarter developing and refining a prototype, conducting market analysis, and designing packaging to introduce a new product to store shelves that consumers would love. This coming August, be on the lookout for our video documenting the student team's progress from conceptualizing their initial ideas to ultimately producing their delicious and innovative food products.

The RMI newsletter will take a break in July but return in August!

Enjoy your summer,

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

View the entire June 2024 newsletter.