DAVIS, CA, U.S. – The UC Davis Coffee Center will bring aboard its first staff member this spring – a staff research associate who will serve as the head roaster for the Coffee Center. This person will manage both the undergraduate coffee laboratory and all Coffee Center roasting operations. The will allow the Center to greatly expand its educational offerings and research efforts.
The research associate will oversee the Coffee Center’s flagship course, “The Design of Coffee” (ECH 1). They will manage the undergraduate coffee lab facilities, equipment and teaching assistants, as well as be a resource for students in the lab. They will also manage all the center’s roasting for education and research, including, training students in roasting, managing the laboratories and maintaining the equipment and facilities.
“This staff roaster will be a key part of teaching the next generation of coffee roasters,” said Bill Ristenpart, Director of the Coffee Center and Professor of Chemical Engineering.
As the Coffee Center grows, the staff person will also play a vital role in promoting the Coffee Center both within and outside of the UC Davis community. They will help perform outreach, teach student how to use the necessary equipment and interact with students, faculty and community members who are interested in the facility and its mission. They will also help disseminate research findings to the coffee industry.
This important step forward for the Coffee Center would not have been possible without the support of Probat. To recognize their generous gift to fund this position, this staff person will hold the title of “Probat Roasting Fellow” for the duration of the company’s support. Probat not only funded the staff position for three years, but also donated roasting equipment to the facility.
“Probat feels strongly that it has an obligation to support the advancement of the coffee industry through highly respected and credible academic and research-based programs that combine industry and academia expertise like at UC Davis,” said Probat president John Fortin. “UC Davis has an outstanding track record of success in establishing these types of programs, and the Coffee Center and coffee curriculum are well-positioned for success.”
