A team of Cal Poly Pomona food science and technology students won the Pacific Southwest Regional College Bowl for the first time.

the Cal Poly Pomona team celebrates their victory on a balcony with Lecturer Karoline Harrison on the left. Photo Credit: Karoline Harrison

The team of Alexander Mathios, Jeremie Javellana, Estrella Mandujano, Daniela Moore, Nancy Siridachanon, and Ziyu Zhang took first place in the competition, which tests students on their food science knowledge.

The students beat out teams from Chapman University, Cal State Long Beach, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

"The college bowl team is a resilient and hard-working group of students," said Karoline Harrison, the team's advisor and a food science and technology lecturer. "Despite losing in their first round, they went on to win the entire competition. I am very proud of their hard work and accomplishment."

The Institute of Food Technologists Student Association organized the competition, which was held on March 17-18 at Chapman University in Orange.

For their efforts, the Cal Poly Pomona team will advance to the national competition at the Institute of Food Technologists convention in Chicago, on July 16-19.

The regional competition also included tours of the food science labs at the Chapman University campus, networking, and presentations from food science clubs and the Institute of Food Technologists.