Innovations in Agriculture and Food Systems
Workshop: April 16, 2025
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
1:00 to 3:30 p.m.
West Conference Room 1230
Walker Hall, UC Davis
(see map)
Snacks will be provided.
The second Innovator Network workshop will feature three panelists who are developing innovative solutions to increase equity and sustainability in agriculture and food systems. Their expertise demonstrates the skill sets required to launch a career in entrepreneurship, from systems thinking to community engagement to working with funders.
- Dr. Carrie Waterman works nationally and internationally to ensure food accessibility across different communities.
- Emily Steliotes balances work on food systems and engagements with nonprofit foundations and industry partners.
- Nathan Kaufman is developing technology with Dr. Jackson Gross to upcycle pistachio shell waste into nutrient-rich soils.
All three had foundational experiences at UC Davis that helped them develop an entrepreneurial mindset as they pursued societally-aware specializations in agriculture.
Attendees will also learn about the resources to support innovation on campus, and will have the opportunity to network with the panelists, Innovation Network partners and one another.
This event is intended for upper division graduate students, postdocs, faculty and staff.
Meet the Panelists
Carrie Waterman, Ph.D.
Dr. Carrie Waterman serves as the statewide lead for food access with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), promoting healthy, locally-grown food. In this role, she fosters partnerships, manages federal and state grants, and enhances outreach to improve food access across California.
Among her many ties to UC Davis are an Ethnobotany lectureship in the Department of Plant Sciences and having served as Center Director for the Institute on Food Justice and Health Equity. Her research has led to a patented moringa-based formulation for cosmetics, licensed to Estée Lauder. Her work integrates community outreach, capacity building, and innovative solutions to address social, environmental, and economic challenges.
Emily Steliotes, doctoral student
Emily Steliotes is a Ph.D. student at UC Davis who researches food systems with focus on sustainability. She has been awarded three fellowships in business innovation. While taking MBA courses, she gained hands-on experience developing business models, and evaluated emerging agrifood technologies and startups. She has also worked for HowGood, a venture-backed, growth-stage startup in sustainability intelligence for the food industry. Her other entrepreneurial experiences include co-founding Golden Acorn, a career coaching group for STEM professionals.
Nathan Kaufman, MBA
Nathan Kaufman is the aquaponic program manager at UC Davis’ Department of Animal Science, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. He is a two-time recipient of the Resnick Agriculture Innovation Research Grant for his research transforming California agricultural waste streams into sustainable growing media for edible and ornamental horticulture. Kaufman was named one of the “People in Produce” by Produce Grower Magazine, and his work has been featured in publications including Scientific American, The Guardian, The New York Times, and the San Francisco Chronicle.
He received his MBA from the UC Davis Graduate School of Management with a focus in entrepreneurship and has now launched a startup to commercialize his research advancements.