A Presidential delegation visited the University of California, Davis

From 16 to 18 April 2023, President Kiyohiro Houkin and colleagues from Hokkaido University (HU) visited the University of California, Davis (UC Davis).  The two universities have developed their academic partnership via isobutanol production research and educational cooperation at the HU’s Graduate School of Global Food Resources. On this occasion, the HU members visited UC Davis together with delegates from Amino Up Co., Ltd., a Hokkaido-based manufacturer of functional ingredients which collaborates with UC Davis: Amino Up has funded the annual Kosuna Distinguished Lecture in Nutrition at the Department of Nutrition, UC Davis, since 2005. This year’s lecture was given by Professor Daniele Del Rio, University of Parma, on 18 April. For the lecture, Chairman Ken-ichi Kosuna and President/COO Kentaro Kitadate of Amino Up were joined by their business partners, representatives from Tradepia Co., Tokyo and Maypro Industries Inc., NY, and delegates from Hokkaido University: President Houkin, Executive Vice President for International Affairs Aya Takahashi, Dean Mitsuyoshi Takiguchi of Veterinary Medicine, Associate Professor Taichi Takasuka of the Research Faculty of Agriculture, Mr. Tetsuya Sato of the International Affairs Department, and University Research Administrator Taena Uemura of the Institute for International Collaboration.

President Houkin (left) and Chancellor May (right)

The delegates were welcomed by Chancellor Gary S. May of UC Davis. They confirmed their common interests in promoting academic collaborations on agriculture and discussed community engagement through agricultural and health care research, ongoing construction of the Aggie Square, and frequent releases of video messages from leaderships to university community members.  HU members were reunited with two jointly-appointed faculty members: Professors Shota Atsumi of the Department of Chemistry and Robert Hackman of the Department of Nutrition. They visited the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science with Professor David Block of Viticulture and Enology, and the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. The delegates’ three-day agenda included meetings with leaderships of Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and Sustainability.

Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science

With Dean Mark Stetter (third from right), Associate Dean Woutrina Smith (third from left) and Prof. Boaz Arzi of Veterinary Medicine (second from right)

With Associate Dean Ermias Kebreab of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (far left) and Vice Provost and Dean Joanna Regulska of Global Affairs (fourth from right)

Text and photos provided by Institute for International Collaboration