Dr. Karen Block: Bridging Academia and Industry for Wine’s Future

Dr. Karen Block is a well-known figure in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at the University of California, Davis, where she plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between academia and the wine industry. Currently serving as the Director of Industry Relations in V&E at UC Davis, Dr. Block is instrumental in extending the university’s cutting-edge research to grape growers and winemakers throughout California, ensuring that industry professionals have access to the latest developments in viticulture and enology.

The mission of the Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis is three-fold: Teaching, Research, and Extension. Dr. Block is primarily focused on extending knowledge to industry professionals. The department offers extension programming in three different ways: in-person educational programs on the UC Davis campus, off-campus educational programs with the On the Road programs, and virtual programs such as Office Hours with Dave and Anita, along with regular updates on their social media outlets.

In 2012, Dr. Block started the UC Davis V&E On the Road events. Since then, she has brought these programs to 21 different California Counties, covering California’s wine producing regions from Shasta County down to San Diego and Riverside Counties, and all the regions in between. She ran focus groups to get targeted feedback on the UC Davis V&E programs such as degree granting, research, and extension. Because of the useful information received, the department was well prepared to hire the next generation of Viticulture and Enology faculty.  During COVID, she co-created, produced and hosted the “Office Hours with Dave and Anita” virtual programs. To date, there have been 22 of those programs. Dr. Block was a critical part of the team that got important wildfire smoke information to wine and grape industry professionals during the 2017 and 2020 wildfires and helped produce the bucket fermentation video in 2020 in less than three weeks. She co-created a regulatory class to make sure UC Davis V&E students understand many of the laws governing grapegrowing and winery operations. In addition, Dr. Block meets with both regional groups and individuals in the grape and wine industries to talk about potential collaborative projects and to understand how the University can help the industry in the future.

Dr. Block’s dedication and expertise led to her appointment to the American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV) Board of Directors. This role aligns perfectly with her passion for fostering collaboration and innovation within the wine industry. ASEV plays a vital role in the wine industry by providing a platform for sharing research, networking, and professional development. For her, joining the ASEV Board is not just a career milestone; it’s an opportunity to positively contribute to the future of the industry. Her work with both UC Davis and ASEV highlights the importance of collaboration between academia and industry, ensuring that both sectors continue to grow and innovate together.