Fun with Fermentation and Yeast with Gordon Walker
Alex Dorr
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Yes, yeast are fungi! And that is only the beginning of the fun facts on yeast. We are pleased to welcome Gordon Walker, who is a master fermentor. We dive into how yeast differ from the familiar filamentous fungi, why they are so important, how they've changed life as we know it, and the seemingly infinitesimal applications of yeast.
 Originally from Cambridge, MA, Dr. Gordon Walker moved to California to attend UC Santa Cruz where he developed a passion for scuba diving and home brewing. His interest in yeast and fermentation inspired him to attend UC Davis for graduate school where his doctoral research focused on the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae in wine production. Specifically yeast physiology and metabolism as it related to the fermentation ecology. After receiving his doctorate in Biochemistry from UC Davis, Gordon worked at Opus One Winery, isolating wild yeast for wine production and establishing redox potential as process parameter for the wine industry. Beyond his love of yeast, Gordon is an avid mycophile who runs the @fascinatedbyfungi account on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, and iNaturalist. Beyond his obsession with fungi, he enjoys gardening, cooking for friends, and cats.Â
