The strong industry support for viticulture in California led Dr. Stephan Sommer to Fresno State, where he enjoys the transformation of science into functional tools.

As the director of the Viticulture and Enology Research Center in the Department of Viticulture and Enology, Sommer faces many challenges.

"My focus is on research, outreach and industry relations," he said. "That is probably the part I enjoy most because I can combine my love for research with the needs of the wine industry."

Sommer just started at Fresno State at the beginning of January, but has known most of the faculty and staff in Viticulture and Enology for a few years. Yet it was in Germany that he first gained an interest in viticulture.

"I grew up in a grape-growing area in Germany and have been around fermentation as far back as I can remember," he said. "My family does not own a winery, but I spent a lot of time on my grandparents' farm where fermentation was used as a tool for preservation."

His first internship with a winery was at the age of 14. He has stayed in that field ever since.

"Even though I worked with beer, spirits, fruit juice and a lot of other products over the years, wine is my main passion," he said.

Sommer has an engineering degree in beverage technology and a Ph.D. in microbiology, both from German universities. He also spent one year at the University of California, Davis, as an undergrad.

"My first real job, after traveling the world and working in different industries, was as lab manager in a federal service and research laboratory for wine in Germany," he said. "I started teaching shortly after that and intensified my own research, which eventually led to a faculty position at Appalachian State University in North Carolina."

Before he came to Fresno State, Sommer was an assistant professor and the academic program director for fermentation sciences in North Carolina.

"Although it was fun to work with all fermented things, I am glad to be able to focus on wine again," he said.

As a researcher, Sommer feels it is important to stay on top of the constantly changing world of science.

"I am very proud of some of my research publications and findings, but there is still a lot to do," he said.

Sommer is an active member in the American Chemical Society and the American Society for Enology and Viticulture and tries to stay in touch with the research community. He is also involved with sustainability and the Center for Outdoor Ethics.

"My goal is to combine winemaking with sustainability, which can benefit the community as a whole," he said.

Sommer is married and has a son in high school. In his off-time, he enjoys spending as much time outside as possible and finds hiking a favorite way to rewind and recharge.