In memory of Katherine “Kat” Di Iulio and her passion for coffee, a new fund has been established at the University of California, Davis, Coffee Center. 

Di Iulio worked as a barista at Sump Coffee. Following her unexpected passing, her former employer set up the Kat Di Iulio Memorial Fund to support students in their pursuit of coffee studies at UC Davis. The fund, which commemorates Di Iulio ‘s love for food science and exploration into the world of coffee, has also been supported by contributions from Di Iulio’s friends and family. 

The fund will support students in their pursuit of deepening their coffee knowledge, including participation at national conferences to present coffee research and undergraduate research on a coffee vision grading system, which will be designed as a low-cost, smartphone-based tool to help coffee farmers improve quality control and better market their beans. 

The fund will also support the development of a new course for undergraduate students: “World Coffee Cultures,” which will explore the global history, production and consumption of coffee paired with a hands-on lab examining brewing and extraction methods from around the world. 

"Kat Di Iulio’s curiosity and love of coffee will continue to inspire the next generation of coffee scholars at UC Davis,” said Bill Ristenpart, director of the UC Davis Coffee Center “Through this fund, students will have the opportunity to explore new frontiers in coffee science, share their discoveries on national stages and contribute to innovations that benefit the industry from bean to barista. We are honored to carry on Kat’s legacy through education and discovery."

Give to the Kat Di Iulio Memorial Fund