ABOUT THE DEVELOPERS
VIRGINIA UTERMOHLEN LOVELACE, MD
Virginia is a physician, scientist, and award-winning educator with a life-long fascination in the science behind our sensory perceptions. Through her research and teaching as faculty member in the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University, one of the world’s premier institutions for research on nutrition and eating behavior, she developed a fresh understanding of how
we perceive and appreciate aromas and flavors, most specifically in those aromas and flavors found in tea.
Recent retirement from her career as a Professor has allowed Virginia the opportunity to masterfully develop the materials in the tea scent kits with Scott, highly-acclaimed workshops for World Tea Expo, prepare course materials for the World Tea Academy on flavors and aroma perception,
and author a well-received book, Tea: a Nerd's Eye View.
Virginia's focus is to guide individuals in the development of their understanding and appreciation of the many scents of tea.
SCOTT SVIHULA
Scott is a tea expert, trainer and founder of Hula Consulting in Orlando, Florida. His tea journey, a quarter century in the making, began when working in the coffee industry in Chicago. There, he gained expertise in quality equipment and water chemistry, which became the foundation to Scott's passion for quality ingredients and creating award-winning tea blends.
He immersed himself in championing the continuous advancement and evolution of the specialty tea and coffee industry worldwide. Upon meeting Virginia at Cornell, the duo connected over their love of tea and science and the Tea Scent Kits idea began fermenting.
Scott has maintained a prominent profile with such industry and trade associations as the Specialty Tea Institute, World Tea Expo, and Specialty Coffee Association. As a member of numerous advisory boards, educational committees, and certification programs, Scott has also partnered with the World Tea Academy to offer specialized tea education courses in flavoring and blending. For registration and information on education courses, click here.