National & International Faculty Honors

UC Davis is home to globally renowned visionaries in the arts and education, law and letters, engineering, and the physical and life sciences, assuring its place as one of the top public universities in the country. Click through the categories on the right to view a sampling of the many premier faculty honors received. For more faculty distinctions by discipline and related stories, visit the colleges and schools linked here.

Headshots of the 7 new PECASE Awardees
Professor Aldrin Gomes in his lab wearing a lab suit.
Aldrin Gomes, Prof. in the departments of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences, and Physiology and Membrane Biology, School of Medicine, has received the US Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring.
Professor Marisol de la Cadena crossing her arms, smiling. She is wearing a scarf and glasses.
Marisol de la Cadena, a professor of anthropology and science and technology studies, has been awarded the Vega Medal from the Swedish Society for Anthropology and Geography.
A photo of both Professors Marina Leiti and Jeremy Munday standing next to one another outdoors. Their hands are by their hips.
Marina Leite, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and Jeremy Munday, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, have been elected Fellows of the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).
Professor Kurt Rohde standing in front of an orchestra.
Kurt Rohde, Professor of Music, received a commission from the Serge Koussevitzky Foundation to compose a new work for Brightwork New Music, a non-profit corporation for contemporary classical music with a focus on West Coast composers and performers.
VC Renetta Garrison Tull standing by a granite wall.
Renetta Garrison Tull, Vice Chancellor of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and adjunct professor of electrical and computer engineering, was appointed President of the Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions (LACCEI).
A photo of Professor Bogad in front of the theatre building on campus
L. M. Bogad, Professor of Theatre and Dance, has been awarded a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center Residency for Summer 2025, and a Creative Fellowship from the Wolfsonian Museum of Florida International University.
Professor Susan Handy standing at a podium
Susan Handy, Distinguished Professor of Environmental Science and Policy, has received an Honorary Doctorate for Smart and Sustainable Mobility, from the Technical University of Delft (TU Delft).
A headshot of Professor Junshan Zhang wearing a blue suit, white collar shirt, and a red tie.
Junshan Zhang, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been elected a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.
A headshot of former Dean Kevin Johnson. He is wearing a suit and glasses.
Kevin Johnson, Distinguished Professor of Law, Mabie-Apallas Professor of Public Interest Law and Professor of Chicana/o Studies, has received a Distinguished Law and Policy Achievement Award from the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation.
A profile view of Professor Ristenpart (man with a beard and glasses) pouring coffee out of a metal kettle.
William Ristenpart, Professor of Chemical Engineering, has been elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society.
A headshot of Dr. Subhash, who is in front of a scientific poster. he is wearing a blue collar shirt.
Subhash Risbud, Distinguished Professor emeritus of Materials Science and Engineering, has received the 2025 James I. Mueller Award from the American Ceramic Society.
Professor Brian Soucek speaking at a panel. He is on the far right of the table speaking into a microphone with his left hand raised. He is wearing a suit.
Law Professor Brian Soucek (right) has been elected a member of the American Law Institute.
Professor Robert Marquez inside a building, smiling, wearing a long-sleeved sweater
Finance Professor Robert Marquez of the Graduate School of Management has been named one of five distinguished researchers in the Conference of State Bank Supervisors’ new Economic Research and Policy Scholars Program.
VP Rios (man with beard and glasses) crossing his arms in front of a building outside.
Michael Rios, Vice Provost for Public Scholarship and Engagement, is one of 31 international scholars and leaders inducted into the Academy of Community Engagement Scholarship, or ACES, in 2024.
Professor Beth Bechky wearing a cardigan and turtleneck. Her hair is curly and a little below her ears.
Graduate School of Management Professor Beth Bechky was named a Microsoft Research AI & Society Fellow.
Dr. Amy Kapatkin performing surgery, masked up and in a surgery gown with her hair wrapped up in a net. She is on the right hand side.
Amy Kapatkin (right), Professor of Surgery and Radiological Sciences in the School of Veterinary Medicine, has received the American College of Veterinary Surgeons Founders’ Award for Career Achievement.
A headshot of Dr. Garen Wintemute smiling, wearing a green button up shirt and tie.
Dr. Garen Wintemute, Professor and Physician in Emergency Medicine, the Susan P. Baker-Stephen P. Teret Chair in Violence Prevention, and Director of the Violence Prevention Research Program, has been elected a member of the National Academy of Medicine.
Professor Aldana speaking at a podium. The image is of her left profile as she is wearing a pink suit jacket and speaking into a microphone.
Raquel Aldana, Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor of Law, was reappointed a special advisor to the Latin American Council of the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative.
A headshot of Professor Lorena Márquez
Lorena Márquez, Associate Professor and Chair of Chicana/o Studies in the College of Letters and Science, has been selected to join the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities’ 2025 Fellows Cohort of the La Academia de Liderazgo.
A headshot of Professor Howard Ferris wearing a suit, tie, glasses, and has a nametag.
Howard Ferris, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Entomology and Nematology in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, has been elected an Honorary Member of the Society of Nematologists, the international organization’s highest distinction.
A smiling headshot of Dr. Huaijaun Zhou
Huaijun Zhou, Chancellor’s Leadership Professor and Professor of Animal Science in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, has been appointed an inaugural member of the 2024 Top Agri-Food Pioneer (TAP) experts' cohort of the World Food Prize Foundation.
Professor Raybould with two of her students in lab coats.
Helen Raybould (right), Professor Emeritus of Anatomy, Physiology & Cell Biology in the School of Veterinary Medicine, has received the Distinguished Career Award from the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior.
Peter Wainwright stands next to aquarium in lab
Distinguished Professor and Chair of Evolution and Ecology Peter Wainwright received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Ichthyology from the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists.
A headshot of Professor Gwen Arnold
Gwen Arnold, Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Policy, has received a national Outstanding Advising Award for Faculty Academic Advising from NACADA, the premier global academic advising association.
Professor Siobhan Brady sitting on a bench outdoors
Professor Siobhan Brady of the Department of Plant Biology and the UC Davis Genome Center has been named a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator.
A headshot of Professor Jesús De Loera, standing in front of a brick wall
Jesús De Loera, Professor of Math, has received T. Christine Stevens Award for Leadership Development from the Mathematical Association of America.
Professor Jonathan Scholfield standing in front of a blurred Mrak Hall
Jonothan Schofield, Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, has received an NSF CAREER Grant.
Jenny Kaminer headshot in front of blurred outdoor background
Jenny Kaminer, Professor of Russian and Dean’s Office Advisor for the Arts and Humanities in the College of Letters and Science, received a Next Generation Visiting Researcher Fellowship from the University of Bristol, UK.
Plant Biologist Sundaresan Venkatesan standing in lush field of green plants
Venkatesan Sundaresan, Distinguished Professor of Plant Biology in the College of Biological Sciences, has received the 2024 Wolf Prize in Agriculture.
A headshot of Professor Jinyi Qi
Jinyi Qi, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, has received the 2024 IEEE Edward J. Hoffman Award for nuclear medicine imaging research.
A headshot of Professor Lynna Dhanani
Lynna Dhanani, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies in the College of Letters and Science, has received a one-year Fulbright Fellowship for continued study in India.
Professor Mark Lubell standing with his left hand in his pocket. He is posed next to trees and bushes.
Professor Mark N. Lubell of Environmental Science and Policy in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, has received the 2024 Elinor Ostrom Career Achievement Award of the American Political Science Association (Science, Technology and Environmental Politics section).
A headshot of Professor Tyler Scott
Tyler Scott, Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Policy in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, has received the 2024 Emerging Scholar Award of the American Political Science Association (Science, Technology and Environmental Politics section).
Dr. Ron Mangum with a graphic of a brain behind his headshot.
George (Ron) Mangun, Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Neurology and Co-director, UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain, has received the 2024 Award for Education in Neuroscience of the Society for Neuroscience.