Katharine P. Burnett

Katharine P. Burnett is Professor of Art History at the University of California, Davis, where she also serves as Chair of the Art History Program, Graduate Chair, and Co-Chair of the Department of Art and Art History (2022–2025). She is the founder and Faculty Director of the Global Tea Institute for the Study of Tea Culture and Science and a Faculty Associate in the East Asian Studies Program. Her academic home is within the Department of Art and Art History in the College of Letters and Science at UC Davis.

Education:

• Ph.D., University of Michigan
• M.A., University of Michigan
• B.A., Wellesley College

Her research centers on Chinese historical art theory and criticism, particularly of the seventeenth century, as explored in her book Dimensions of Originality. She also investigates art collecting and display, exemplified in her acclaimed work Shaping Chinese Art History: Pang Yuanji and His Painting Collection. A major focus of her scholarship is the international spread of visual and material culture related to the global tea trade. She teaches courses on Chinese art from the Neolithic to the present, including specialized seminars on tea culture, ceramics, and travel painting. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges art history, cultural studies, and material culture.

The trajectory of her recent publications reveals a deepening engagement with the cultural, historical, and scientific dimensions of tea. While her earlier work focused on Chinese painting theory and connoisseurship, her more recent articles and editorial projects emphasize tea’s role in shaping global material culture, trade, and interdisciplinary scholarship. This evolution reflects her leadership in establishing tea studies as a legitimate academic field.

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• Chancellor’s Award for International Engagement, UC Davis (2021)
• O-Cha Pioneer Award, World Green Tea Association, Japan (2021)
• Best Tea Health Advocate, World Tea Expo (2018)
• Nominee, Best Tea Educator – Individual, World Tea Expo (2019)
• Nominee, ICAS Book Prize for Dimensions of Originality (2013)
• George Wittenborn Memorial Book Award (as contributing author, 2017)

Burnett is an active mentor and academic leader. She founded and led the Global Tea Initiative (2015–2023), now the Global Tea Institute, and established the Global Tea Studies book series with Brill. She has supervised numerous exhibitions at UC Davis, often featuring tea-related art and material culture. Her work includes significant public outreach and media engagement, demonstrating her commitment to disseminating knowledge beyond academia. She has secured recognition for her innovative integration of research, teaching, and community building around the theme of tea.

Labs and Research Initiatives:

• Founder and Director, Global Tea Institute for the Study of Tea Culture and Science (2023–present)
• Founder and Director, Global Tea Initiative for the Study of Tea Culture and Science (2015–2023)
• Founder and Director, Global Tea Institute Collection of Art and Material Culture, UC Davis (2014–present)
• Faculty Leader, All Things Tea Research Cluster (2012–2015)