Impactful research

This endowment will help keep the department resilient and impactful by supporting a top faculty member with unrestricted funding to allow our research and curriculum to stay at the forefront of the food industry, with a focus on topics like food safety, product innovation and microbiology.

“Having an endowed chair is a tremendous benefit and asset to the department,” said Christopher Simmons, professor and chair with the Department of Food Science and Technology. “It allows us to be nimble and responsive to changing conditions.”

There are always emerging topics and issues to address, and gifts like this provide flexibility to test bold ideas and lay the groundwork for long-term discovery.

“In broad terms, I would hope for the funds to be spent on chemistry and microbiology topics,” said Feicht. “Current research at UC Davis includes basic composition of various foods with implications to nutrition, adulteration, rheology, sustainability and more. The importance of microbiology to safety and quality of food supports local and national industries and informs fermented foods.”

Feicht has been a longtime member of the UC Davis Food Science Leadership Board, and her gift will be appreciated for years to come.

“She's always shown her dedication to the department through her service to the board, as a valuable mentor to our students, and how she’s always willing to talk with our faculty to provide her perspective and vision from industry,” Simmons said. “It's very rewarding to see somebody who's been through the program, benefited from the program, really feel the call to give back in this way. The impact is just immeasurable.”