Lecture Description
Coffee extracts contain thousands of different compounds, many of which contribute to the quality of the flavor profile. Minor fluctuations in the ratios of these compounds gives rise to major differences in perceived flavor. However, to date the industry is only able to the measure the average total solvated mass (%TDS) or use prohibitive chromatography methods. Electrochemistry offers one route to measuring coffee components in real time and provides insights into both the quantity of compounds as well as their identity. The same method can also be applied to modify the flavors of coffee, through oxidation and reduction. Together, our approach provides unparalleled insight into what is solvated in the cup. This talk will cover the fundamentals of electrochemistry, a demonstration of its utility with a real-time demonstration. This work is supported by the Coffee Science Foundation and the Cottrell Scholars award, in partnership with Nuova Simonelli.
Date: Sunday April 27, 2025
Time: 10:15am - 11:15am
Location: Room 362ABC
Category: Science
Access: This lecture is free to attend with a Specialty Coffee Expo entry badge. Register to attend Specialty Coffee Expo here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat.
Speakers
Christopher Hendon (he/him)
Professor, University of Oregon
Prof. Chris Hendon is a computational chemist with interests in energy materials and coffee extraction. He obtained his BSc. Adv. HONS from Monash University (2011) and PhD from the University of Bath (2015). After a two-year postdoc at Massachusetts Institute of Technology he joined the University of Oregon in 2017 as an Associate Professor of Chemistry where his research group focuses on materials with useful defects. He has published over 140 papers, was named a Cottrell Scholar in 2021, a Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar in 2022, the Samuel R. Scholes Jnr. Lecture for excellence in scientific communication, and has been awarded the Rippey Award for Innovative Teaching twice. In coffee, he authored, “Water For Coffee”, and has written numerous peer-reviewed articles on the topic. Presently, he leads a laboratory studying the chemical physics of coffee beverage production.