2025 AWSEF Scholarship Winners
View the 2025 Scholarship Winners and their Research Projects
Brandt Bastow, PhD candidate at the University of California–Davis
Scholarship in Memory of Thomas King (Anonymous Donor)
Developing rapid, affordable methods to detect smoke taint using fluorescence spectroscopy and chemometric modeling, empowering growers with timely harvest decisions during wildfire events.
Arpa Boghozian, PhD candidate at the University of California–Davis
AWS Chapter of Cleveland, Ohio Scholarship
Investigating the impact of Grapevine Red Blotch Virus on fruit development to support new enzyme-based vineyard practices that preserve quality and reduce grower losses.
Michael Cook, PhD candidate at Texas A&M University
W. J. Rachele Endowment Scholarship
Studying irrigation strategies across Texas wine regions to improve grapevine resilience, wine stability, and berry composition in the face of climate extremes.
Hannah Frank, PhD candidate at Cornell University
AWS Chapter of Meadowlands, NJ Scholarship
Modeling beneficial soil fungi (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)) to give growers a predictive tool for soil health and cost-effective decisions about inoculants.
Isidora Silva-Valderrama, PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia
Banfi Vintners Scholarship
Predicting the virulence of grapevine trunk disease pathogens and developing tools to reduce their impact and safeguard vineyard longevity.
Jesse Stevens, MSc candidate at Washington State University
AWS Chapter of North Alabama Scholarship
Optimizing UVC light as an eco-friendly treatment for powdery mildew and refining sulfur application guidelines to minimize phytotoxicity risks.
Douglas Vines, MSc candidate at the University of Minnesota
Virginia Wydler Scholarship
Advancing cold-hardy grapevine breeding by uncovering genetic traits related to winter survival and late bud break in cold climates.
Nikolas Wilson, PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia
AWS Special Scholarship
Testing mitigation strategies for heat-stressed grapevines, including irrigation and canopy sprays, and comparing heat tolerance across key grape varieties.