Research linked to Brock’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute continues to turn heads in the world of grape and wine science.<\/p>\n
Two Brock graduate students brought home first place for their presentations at the 48th Annual Conference of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture \u2013 Eastern Section (ASEV-ES).<\/p>\n
Master of Science (MSc) in Gene Biotechnology candidate Nadine Ott-Peon (BSc \u201921)<\/span> and MSc in Biological Sciences candidate Daniel Phillipow (OEVC ’23) tied for the top spot in the ASEV-ES Student Oral Presentation Competition on July 11.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was an honour to be invited to participate in this competition as it was my first time speaking formally about my research,\u201d said Phillipow. \u201cPresenting to a crowd of more than 100 scientists, researchers, professors and colleagues was daunting in and of itself, but it is humbling and validating to have my work recognized.\u201d<\/p>\n Phillipow and Ott-Peon, who are working with Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute Director Debbie Inglis on their research, competed with seven other PhD and master\u2019s from several American universities, including Cornell University, the University of Arkansas and North Carolina State University.<\/p>\n Each student had 20 minutes to present and answer questions about their research. With only a half-point scoring difference between Ott-Peon and Phillipow, the judges awarded them a tie for Best Oral Presentation Enology \u2014 a first in the competition\u2019s history.<\/p>\n Phillipow\u2019s research explored the use of a locally isolated yeast strain to enhance the aromatic profile of wine and mitigate the negative effects of grape infections from sour rot and Botrytis<\/em> in white wine production.<\/p>\n