Below is a list of the table themes and hosts at the upcoming networking lunch at the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Symposium on April 22, 2026. Download a PDF of the agenda and list of table themes.
1 Policy Headwinds for California Agriculture
- Tim Beatty, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
- Scott Grabau, Tanimura & Antle
2 Reducing Methane Emissions in Livestock Systems
- Ermias Kebreab, Department of Animal Science
- Charles Brooke, Spark Climate Solutions
3 Where Premium Meat Meets Great Taste and Nutrition
- Payam Vahmani, Department of Animal Science
- Daniela Abatti, Abatti Ranch Wagyu
4 Applying Digital Technologies to Agriculture
- Alireza Pourezza, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
- Evan Dumas, GoodFarms, LLC
5 Automation for California Farms
- Stavros Vougioukas, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
- Sean Sundberg, John Deere
6 Circular Bioeconomy in California Agriculture and Agri-Food Systems
- Gloriamar Gamez, BEAM Circular
- Bruno Carciofi, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
7 Marine Restoration in a Changing Climate
- Marissa Baskett and Michael Springborn, Department of Environmental Science and Policy
- Tanner Waters, California Ocean Science Trust
8 Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture
- Sean Godwin, Department of Environmental Science and Policy
- Katie Cieri, California Ocean Protection Council
9 Micro- and Nanoplastics: Connecting Ocean Pollution to Human Health
- Christina Pasparakis and Sascha Nicklisch, Department of Environmental Toxicology
- Scott Coffin, California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
10 Fermented Foods and Gut Health
- Maria Marco, Department of Food Science and Technology
- Jeremy McLeod and Jessie Heidenreich, Hilmar Cheese
11 Working with Communities to Solve Environmental Health Challenges
- Jonathan London, Department of Human Ecology
- Clare Cannon, Institute of the Environment and Department of Human Ecology
12 The First Five Years: Building Opportunity in Early Childhood
- Kelly Twibell, Center for Child and Family Studies, Department of Human Ecology
- Shannon McClarin, Yolo County Office of Education
- Maria Lewis, Woodland Joint Unified School District
13 Monitoring the Breath of California Redwoods
- Kosana Sucarov, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources
- Matthias Falk, California Air Resources Board
14 Healthy Soils for Healthy Lives
- Sutie Xu, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources
- Sarah Castle, Sustainable Conservation
15 Maximizing the Nutritional Impact of Food Access Programs
- Cassandra Nguyen, Department of Nutrition
- Nick Anicich, California Department of Food and Agriculture
16 Specialty Crops for Healthy Aging: From Field to Brain Health
- Angela Zivkovic, Department of Nutrition
- Leslie Alfonso, California Cherry Board
17 Biologicals for Plant Disease Management
- Akif Eskalen, Department of Plant Pathology
- Jordan Weibel and Emily Wine, California Department of Pesticide Regulation
- Tom Zaninovich, Casa Cristal
18 Plant Health Through Microbial Partnerships
- Johan Leveau, Department of Plant Pathology
- Marcus Meadows-Smith, BioConsortia, Inc.
19 Modern Breeding for Specialty Crops
- Juan Debernardi, Plant Transformation Facility, Department of Plant Sciences
- Jennifer Petersen, Sun World International
20 Managing Plants to Reduce Wildfire Risk
- Justin Valliere, Department of Plant Sciences
- Katie Low, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Fire Network
21 Small Farms and Healthy Communities
- Colin Dixon, UC Davis Student Farm
- Janvier Velilla, Good Trouble Farm
22 Controlled Environment Agriculture in California: Opportunities and Challenges
- Laura Cammarisano Department of Plant Sciences
- Md Shamim Ahamed, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
- Martin Ruebelt, NatureSweet Brands
23 Fish, Water and People
- Rob Lusardi and Nann Fangue, Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology
- Patrick Samuel, California Trout
24 Supporting Pollinator Communities to Sustain Healthy Agroecosystems
- Elina Niño, Rachel Vannette and Neal Williams, Department of Entomology and Nematology
Trevor Tauzer, Tauzer Apiaries, Inc.
Updated on 4/16/26