Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences

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Image reading “App State STEM Career Day,” with gold STEM lettering and a rough white brushstroke-style title on black.

App State students invited to explore careers, network with employers at Nov. 13 STEM Career Day
Oct 15, 2026

BOONE, N.C. — Ready to jumpstart your career and connect with top North Carolina STEM employers without leaving Boone?

Events
Fermentation Sciences lab manager Daniel Parker (left), and lab director Brett Taubman (right) stand in App State’s Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences Service Lab in Mountain Laurel Hall Sept. 30.

The newest dairy alternative comes from sweet potatoes [faculty featured]
Oct 15, 2026

Two professors in the Fermentation Sciences Program founded a sweet potato milk startup company, seeking to promote nutrition and combat food waste.

Faculty and Staff, Fermentation Sciences, Grants and Research
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
App State alumni Masa and Seleen Al Horani. Photo by Chase Reynolds
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