Luiza Freitas

Luiza is a PhD candidate at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (Brazil), where she also completed her undergraduate degree in Food Science and Technology and her Master’s degree in Food Science. She is a certified wine sommelier in Brazil and regularly works with wine events and guided tastings, bridging scientific knowledge and practical experience in the wine sector.

As part of her PhD in Food Science, Luiza is spending eight months as a visiting PhD student in the Delarue Lab at UC Davis. Her research focuses on exploring the relationships between consumer personality traits and preferences for different wine styles, integrating sensory science with consumer and psychological data.

During her time at the Delarue Lab, her main challenge has been working at the interface between sensory and psychological datasets, an area that differs from her previous experience correlating chemical and sensory data. Motivated by interdisciplinary challenges, Luiza is enthusiastic about expanding her methodological toolbox and fully embracing this learning experience.