American Wine Society Educational Foundation

03/25/2026

Meet Jesse Stevens, 𝗮 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗔𝗪𝗦𝗘𝗙 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 and MSc candidate at Washington State University.

AWSEF was pleased to support Jesse's graduate studies with 𝗮 $𝟯,𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗪𝗦 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗺𝗮.

His research focuses on enhancing vineyard health and sustainability in North America by offering safer, more effective pest management solutions.

The research encompasses two projects:

1- Investigate the optimisation of UVC light as an eco-friendly method for controlling grapevine powdery mildew, particularly when integrated with vineyard management techniques.

2- Define the precise conditions that lead to sulfur phytotoxicity in wine grapes, building on outdated research to provide contemporary growers with informed guidelines for sulfur fungicide application.

*** 𝗪𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽. ***
Find all the details here: https://awsef.org/scholarships/application/
Submit by March 31, 2026.

03/18/2026

Meet Arpa Boghozian, 𝗮 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗔𝗪𝗦𝗘𝗙 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 and PhD candidate at UC Davis.

AWSEF was pleased to support Arpa's graduate studies with a $𝟯,𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗔𝗪𝗦 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝗢𝗵𝗶𝗼 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽.

Grapevine Red Blotch Virus (GRBV) and its impact on grape development and ripening. Arpa’s research investigates changes in cell wall composition, enzyme activity, and protein profiles in infected grapes to understand the biochemical basis of GRBV’s impact.

This research will support the development of targeted interventions, such as enzyme-based treatments and vineyard practices, that can improve phenolic extraction, enhance fruit quality, and reduce economic losses for growers and winemakers.

*** 𝗪𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽. ***
Find all the details here: https://awsef.org/scholarships/application/
Submit by March 31, 2026.

03/11/2026

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 Michael Cook, 𝗮 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗔𝗪𝗦𝗘𝗙 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁, and PhD candidate at University of Texas, A&M.

AWSEF was pleased to support Michael's graduate studies with 𝗮 $𝟱,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗪. 𝗝. 𝗥𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

This study explores soil-vine-climate relationships across three distinct Texas grape-growing regions: the High Plains, the Hill Country, and North Texas.

Given Texas's erratic and intensifying weather patterns, supplemental irrigation is a critical management practice.

The research utilises both traditional and advanced technologies to assess soil moisture, vine water status, and the impact of irrigation strategies on red European wine cultivars.

The overarching goal is to provide timely, regional irrigation scheduling recommendations to improve wine stability by mitigating potassium shunting, maximise berry composition, and ensure grapevine resilience.

*** 𝗪𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽. ***
Find all the details here: https://awsef.org/scholarships/application/
Submit by March 31, 2026.

03/04/2026

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗜𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗼𝗿𝗮 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝘃𝗮-𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮, 𝗮 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗔𝗪𝗦𝗘𝗙 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁, and PhD candidate at University of British Columbia, Canada.

AWSEF was pleased to support Brandt's graduate studies with 𝗮 $𝟯,𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗳𝗶 𝗩𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀.

Her research focuses on pathogens within Botryosphaeriaceae, a family of fungal pathogens known for causing grapevine trunk diseases, dividing the project in three stages:

1- examine the factors that make some pathogens more likely to jump into a new plant host -such as grapevines.

2- Use models and inoculation experiments to predict how virulent these pathogens can be if they infect grapevines.

3- Find ways to possibly modulate and reduce their virulence.

The goal is to facilitate the creation of tools to prevent the emergence of novel grapevine fungal diseases, helping to keep our vineyards healthy.

*** 𝗪𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽. ***
Find all the details here: https://awsef.org/scholarships/application/
Submit by March 31, 2026.

02/25/2026

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘁 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗼𝘄, 𝗮 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗔𝗪𝗦𝗘𝗙 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁, and PhD candidate at UC Davis.

AWSEF was pleased to support Brandt's graduate studies with 𝗮 $𝟯,𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗻𝘆𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴.

His research focused on the early detection of smoked taint on grapes, developing rapid, cost-effective analytical methods to assess smoke taint in grapes and wine using fluorescence spectroscopy combined with chemometric modeling.

This research also links sensory perception with instrumental data, providing North American wine producers with affordable, timely, and actionable risk assessment tools during wildfire events to support informed harvest and crop management decisions.

*** 𝗪𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽. ***
Find all the details here: https://awsef.org/scholarships/application/
Submit by March 31, 2026.

02/18/2026

Meet Hannah Frank, 𝗮 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗔𝗪𝗦𝗘𝗙 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 and a PhD candidate at Cornell University.

AWSEF was pleased to support Hanah's graduate studies with 𝗮 $𝟯,𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗔𝗪𝗦 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀, 𝗡𝗝 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽.

Her research focused on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which are beneficial soil fungi that inhabit grapevine roots.

These fungi establish a mutualistic relationship with grapevines, aiding in nutrient and resource acquisition and stress alleviation in exchange for carbon from the plant.

The models investigate soil traits, weather data, and viticulture factors to help growers predict colonization rates and community diversity of beneficial fungi, as well as assess potential impacts of commercial inoculants.

The goal of this work is to provide North American wine grape growers with a tool to assess any potential benefit of inoculation before investing in a costly product.

*** 𝗪𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽. ***
Find all the details here: https://awsef.org/scholarships/application/
Submit by March 31, 2026.

02/12/2026

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗹𝗮𝘀 𝗩𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀, 𝗮 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗔𝗪𝗦𝗘𝗙 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁.

Douglas was an MSc candidate at the University of Minnesota.

AWSEF was pleased to support Douglas' graduate studies with 𝗮 $𝟯,𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗮 𝗪𝘆𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿.

His research focuses on developing cold-hardy grapevine cultivars suitable for regions with harsh, variable winters, such as Minnesota.

It employs methods such as differential thermal analysis (DTA) to quantify grape bud hardiness and investigates the genetic mechanisms controlling dormancy acquisition and late budbreak.

This work aims to support the continued development of robust grape varieties capable of thriving amid extreme cold and the increasing winter fluctuations caused by climate change, offering broad benefits for the grape industry across North America.

*** 𝗪𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽. ***
Find all the details here: https://awsef.org/scholarships/application/
Submit by March 31, 2026.

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11/06/2025

Organizing donated items for tomorrow's (Nov 7) Silent Auction. Lots of great donations!!

11/04/2025

Here's the QR code to access the Agenda for the Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025 AWSEF Annual Membership Meeting.

10/08/2025

Our new cover photo is of the robotic 6L wine bottle cradle that one of the Alabama chapter members created. It automatically tilts to pour 5 oz of wine in a glass that's held under the opening.

Lots easier than attempting to manhandle that huge bottle!

09/24/2025

Meredith Persico, now Dr. Persico, (2022, 2023) is a Post-Doctoral Scholar with Pennsylvania State University where she received her Ph.D. Some of Dr. Persico's research was recently published (see below).

The AWSEF is especially proud to have been able to support Dr. Persico in her academic studies.

Low temperatures are required for the acquisition and maintenance of bud cold tolerance, which are necessary for grapevines to survive freezing temperatures in winter.