This Year's Speakers

Klaus Lange, MD, PhD

Professor, University of Regensburg, Germany

Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Japan

The available evidence, which derives from studies investigating mechanistic effects of tea, research on animal models as well as epidemiological studies and intervention trials in humans, suggests that compounds contained in tea may have the potential to aid in the prevention of depression or in its treatment as an addition to established therapies. If positive effects on mood could be firmly established, tea drinking could support mental health. However, the moderate anti-depressive effects observed in healthy people are not necessarily indicative of possible clinical effects in depressive disorders. 

Juan Fernando Ortiz, MD

Neurology Resident PGY-3

Corewell Health West, Michigan State University

Nootropic drugs and cognitive enhancers are a common theme and research topic, as human beings are eager to explore the brain’s limitless potential. L Theanine and Caffeine are natural compounds that combined have been shown to boost cognition,
concentration, and reaction time. This talk will discuss the mechanism and results of previous regarding the cognitive enhancing properties of caffeine and L- theanine.

Morgan Pitelka, PhD

Bernard L. Herman Distinguished Professor of History and Asian Studies

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Kyoto in the seventeenth century was recovering from a century of civil war and the removal of government to Edo under the new rule of the Tokugawa shoguns. Yet the old imperial capital continued to serve as the thriving center of cultural creativity, largely through the rich entanglements of aristocratic poets, entrepreneurial merchants, urban artisans, and other local luminaries. This presentation will examine the emergence and efflorescence of this fertile community of creatives through their shared investment in the practice of chanoyu, the performative preparation and serving of matcha (powdered green tea) in specialized tea rooms using diverse art objects as utensils.

Erika Rappaport, PhD

Professor, Department of History

University of California, Santa Barbara

During the Second World War a hot cup of tea reached iconic status in Great Britain. Tea came to be seen as especially calming and unifying during stressful periods such as war.  This paper argues however that the imperial tea industry, which included growers, distributers, and planters, used modern public relations and advertising techniques to create tea’ wartime mythology.  This campaign solidified tea’s place in the national consciousness despite rationing and shortages and it shows the ways in which the tea industry contributed to the development of modern public relations.

This Year's Industry Panel Speakers

To be announced soon!