Though the holiday season is wrapping up, why not treat yourself to the gift of virtually attending the U.C. Davis Seventh Annual Colloquium of the Global Tea Initiative for the Study of Tea Culture and Science? This free event will be taking place on January 13, 2022, and like last year will be completely virtual via Zoom. (Go here to register.)

UCDavis GTI Logo - Character for tea with the word 'tea'

This year’s theme is: “Tea and Beyond: Bridging Science and Culture, Time and Space.” Their statement on the theme is: 

“Although GTI’s primary emphasis is on Camellia sinensis, we recognize that different things are consumed as tea. Many tea companies sell tea and herbal infusions. This year’s annual colloquium contrasts aspects of teas and wellness teas from around the world in terms of health, ceremony, sustainability, marketing, and more.“

Following are the presenters and their topics, in general topic order.

Body and Health

Keynote speaker: Dr. Nada Milosavljevic, MD., Mass General, Harvard Med School faculty, psychiatry, Founder, Sage Tonic, Director of Integrative Health Program
Topic: “The Popularization of Food as Medicine and Its Impact on Tea”

Speaker: Mary N. Muchiri, Tea Institute and Lecturer, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Karatina University, Kenya
Topic: “Herbal Tea Drinks for Dietary Management of COVID-19:  Myth or Fact?”

Speakers:
Denise Dempsey, M.Ed
Erik Fausak, MSLIS, MA(Anthropology), RVT, RLAT, Librarian, Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis Student Services
Zoe Peralta-Page, MAEd, LMHCA, NCC, Therapist, Behavioral Health, You Grow Girl!
Gabrielle Tirsell, Economics UC Davis ’24
Topic: “Improving anxiety and well-being with a tea meditation: a novel approach geared for the veterinary professional community (and beyond)”

Speaker: Hiroshi Yamada, MD, PhD, FACP, Professor, Department of Drug Evaluation & Informatics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka
Topic: “Tea catechins for the prevention of upper respiratory tract infections”

Culture and Society

Speaker: Dr. Renée E. Mazinegiizhigo-kwe Bédard, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education, Indigenous Education, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
Topic: “Aniibiishaaboo: An Anishinaabe Woman’s Cultural Perspective on Woman’s Teas”

Speaker: Christine Folch, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Cultural Anthropology, Duke University
Topic: “Ilex Counterpoint: Commercializing the Caffeinated Beverages of the Americas”

Speakers:
Adam Siegel, Librarian, University Library, University of California, Davis
Deatra Cohen, Independent Scholar
Topic: “Camellia Sinensis As Medicinal Plant in Eastern Europe”

Industry

Panel Chairs:
Manik Jayakumar, QTrade
Paul Harney, Harney & Sons
Panelists:
Amy Driscoll, Co-founder, Bears Fruit Kombucha
Abianne Falla, Founder CatSpring Yaupon
Topic: “Wellness Teas”

For more information, visit the Seventh Annual GTI Colloquium page. You can also register for the event here.

Images are from the UCDavis GTI webpage and used with permission (source)