Chris Gerling is part of the Cornell Enology Extension Laboratory (CEEL), which conducts applied research trials, industry workshops, and custom analysis. He is the project manager of the Vinification and Brewing Laboratory at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York, and he is Cornell University's extension associate for enology in New York State. Formerly a commercial winemaker, he now engages with the farm-based beverage industry to maximize the quality and sustainability of wine, spirits, and ciders. He serves as a liaison between the research and commercial sectors to help ensure that research is industry-driven wherever possible and that the industry learns of and benefits from research results.