2026 College Symposium Agenda

TimeEvent Title, Description and Panelists
11 a.m.–noon                                                                          

Poster Session and Symposium Registration

Learn what’s new in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and meet faculty and graduate students working on issues relevant to California. Posters will span the diversity of the college with topics ranging from AI in plant breeding to groundwater management to teen mental health.

Noon Welcoming Remarks | Dean Ashley M. Stokes
12:15–1:30 p.m. 

Making Connections Lunch 

Participate in meaningful discussions at themed lunch tables co-hosted by UC Davis and industry and policy experts. Guests will network and learn from one another while exploring topics that shape California and contribute to healthy communities. Choose from 20+ tables with themes such as: gut health, farm automation, air and water quality, ecological restoration, nutrition policy and more.

1:30–2:20 p.m.

Healthy Lands, Healthy Communities

Healthy communities are rooted in healthy working lands. This panel explores how research, policy, and practice intersect to advance sustainable agriculture, environmental stewardship, and human health. The discussion will emphasize collaborative strategies that support thriving agricultural and environmental landscapes while advancing public health outcomes.

Moderator

  • Reina Engle-Stone, associate professor, associate nutritionist in Agricultural Experiment Station, Department of Nutrition

Panelists

  • Nicholas Anicich, farm to school program manager, California Department of Food and Agriculture
  • Matt Hengel, adjunct professor, Department of Environmental Toxicology
  • Ian Grettenberger, associate professor of Cooperative Extension, Department of Entomology and Nematology
  • Leslie Roche, professor of Cooperative Extension, Department of Plant Sciences
  • Sandy Sum, UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
2:20–2:40 p.m. Coffee Break 
Featuring UC Davis Coffee Center Aggie Blend
2:40–3:30 p.m. 

Improving Health Through Food

Improving human health through nutrition requires action across multiple pathways. Panelists will explore the balance between empowering individual behavior change and reformulating the food supply to make healthier choices more accessible and appealing. This discussion will highlight collaborative approaches that connect research, industry leadership, and community-based efforts to advance nutrition security and improve health outcomes.

Moderator

  • Francene Steinberg, professor; Mohini Jain Presidential Chair, nutritionist in the Agricultural Experiment Station; director, Didactic Program in Dietetics, Department of Nutrition

Panelists

  • Faith Garrard, vice president, Sales and Merchandising, Raley's
  • David Mills,  distinguished professor; Peter J. Shields Endowed Chair in Dairy Food Science, Department of Food Science and Technology
  • Kamaljeet Singh-Khaira,  director, CalFresh Healthy Living
  • Payam Vahmani,  associate professor, nutritional enhancement of animal sourced foods, Department of Animal Science
3:30–4:10 p.m. 

Fireside chat with Dean Stokes 

Speakers

  • Scott Grabau, CEO, Tanimura & Antle
  • Faith Garrard, vice president, Sales and Merchandising, Raley's
4:10–5:30 p.m. 

Taste of UC Davis Reception

Continue networking and discussion over appetizers and beverages featuring UC Davis products, including student-produced wine, beer and produce. 


 

Confirmed as of 4/16/26

Documents