Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences

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Dr. Brett Taubman holds a glass of Rootsii.

This App State Researcher is Taking Wasted Sweet Potatoes — And Turning Them Into Milk [faculty featured]
Jun 4, 2026

North Carolina may be famous for its beaches and Blue Ridge Mountains, but the state has a lesser-known claim to fame.

Faculty and Staff, Grants and Research
App State professor Dr. Brett Taubman, left, and Fermentation Sciences Lab manager Daniel Parker have developed the sweetpotato milk Rootsii in fermentation lab facilities at App State. The locally sourced, sustainable and allergy-friendly product received $1.82 million in funding from NCInnovation, with a goal of bringing the milk from proof of concept to store shelves over the next two years. Photo by Chase Reynolds

From the field to the fridge: $1.82M NCInnovation grant supports sweetpotato startup at App State
May 15, 2026

BOONE, N.C. — Backed by a $1.82 million NCInnovation grant, Appalachian State University professor Dr.

Faculty and Staff, Grants and Research
Three individuals wearing blue jackets in a scientific lab.

From waste to taste: Fermentation unlocks protein potential
Apr 8, 2026

Modern chemistry meets food preparation practices that date to antiquity in a protein processing lab at App State.

Chemistry, Faculty and Staff, Fermentation Sciences, Grants and Research, Students
Dr. Brett Taubman is a professor and the director of the Fermentation Sciences program in Appalachian State University's A.R. Smith Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences.

Dr. Brett Taubman featured on WUNC's The Broadside
Jan 23, 2026

From bourbon to chow chow, fermentation is everywhere in Southern food and drink.

Department News, Faculty and Staff, Fermentation Sciences
Erik Martella sits on a stone wall and smiles while pouring himself a glass of red wine.

Demystifying Wine for the Next Generation [faculty featured]
Jan 9, 2026

As both an educator and winemaker, Erik Martella has spent decades thinking about how people encounter wine, not just as a beverage, but as an... Faculty and Staff, Fermentation Sciences

Dr. Brett Taubman is a professor and the director of the Fermentation Sciences program in Appalachian State University's A.R. Smith Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences.
Dr. Nancy Asen is an assistant professor in the Appalachian State University A.R. Smith Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences.
Jess Horton, of Charlotte, will graduate on Friday with a bachelor's degree in physics with a concentration in interdisciplinary science and minors in both chemistry and mathematics.

CAS Senior Spotlight: Jess Horton
Dec 9, 2025

BOONE, N.C. — Jess Horton’s path at App State has been one defined by resilience, discovery, and an evolving passion for science.

Chemistry, Students
Dr. Jefferson Bates is an associate professor in the Appalachian State University Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences. Photo by Chase Reynolds
Erik Martella, wine specialist and lecturer in the Appalachian State University Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences, member of the CAS Advancement Council, and proprietor of Erik Martella Wines, chats with students at Vidalia Restaurant and Wine Bar before the beginning of the inaugural "Wine and Fine Dining for Emerging Professionals" program. Photo by Lauren Gibbs
Dr. Bob Swarthout is an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences and Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences.
Fermentation Sciences majors Finn Adams (left), Chris Martin (second from left), and Dominic Bernardi (third from left) learned about winemaking from Will Burrow ’20 (fourth from left), head winemaker at Grandfather Mountain Vineyard in Banner Elk.