UC Davis is helping prepare the next generation of food systems innovators by combining scientific expertise with entrepreneurial training. In the inaugural Innovation for Impact: Food Systems course—known as “Hacking 4 Food”—students worked in interdisciplinary teams to address real-world challenges ranging from agricultural waste valorization and nutrient management to patient support tools for GLP-1 therapies. The course emphasized customer discovery, market validation and systems thinking, equipping students to translate research and technical knowledge into solutions with the potential for real-world impact.
A key driver of the course’s success was Alice Dien, a UC Davis Ph.D. candidate in Biological Systems Engineering and alumna of the Innovation Institute for Food and Health (IIFH) Tech Transfer Fellowship. Drawing on her experience across research, commercialization and startup development, Dien guided students through the entrepreneurial process while helping them connect technical innovation with genuine stakeholder needs. The course was also supported by Dana Armstrong Hughes, Talent Development Coordinator at IIFH, whose partnership helped bring food systems innovation and workforce development opportunities to students. Together, their leadership highlights how UC Davis and IIFH are advancing a pipeline of talent capable of translating evidence-based research into solutions for food, health and sustainability challenges.
