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Dr. Brent Trela is an Assistant Professor of Enology. This is a new faculty position, and represents an exciting new area of research, teaching, and outreach for our department. Dr. Trela earned his B.S. in chemistry from The Evergreen State College, an M.S. in Food Science from the University of California-Davis, and a Ph.D. in Biotechnology from Suranaree University of Technology in Thailand. He brings worldwide experience in enology, teaching and award winning winemaking, having worked and consulted in Thailand, China, Australia, New Zealand, England, Armenia, the Republic of Georgia, and Russia. We are proud to welcome Dr. Trela to our faculty.
Dr. Trela develops and conducts research, teaching, and Extension programs in enology in support of the Texas grape and wine industry.
Teaching
Dr. Trela is currently developing new academic and Extension course curriculum to introduce wines, wine business, winemaking, and the science, processing, quality control and analysis of winemaking to students, Texas winemakers and future winemakers for the improvement of the whole Texas wine industry. Instruction will be performed through on campus, on-line, and web CT classes as well as through extensions services such as short courses, workshops, symposia. Dr. Trela is developing an Enology Certificate program jointly offered by Texas Tech University and Texas Cooperative Extension.
Extension
Dr. Trela’s Extension activities include leading the development and coordination of effective individual and multi-disciplinary team efforts in educational and applied enology research programs. These programs aim to enhance the ability of Texas wine and grape growers to add value to their production through improved processing methodology and technology. The intent is to meet the needs of Texas winemakers and leverage Texas viticulture and enology conditions to create unique products that are competitive nationally and internationally.
Research
Dr. Trela’s research is currently focused on improving wine quality through better understanding of oxidation processes, phenolics and antioxidants, and wine stabilization chemistry and methods, in particular developing phytic acid as a wine stabilizer.
Texas Tech University,
Department of Plant and Soil Science,
Campus Box 42122, Lubbock, TX 79409 
806. 742-2838 