UC Davis nematology professor Shahid Siddique won the 2026 Excellence in Teaching Award from the international Society of Nematologists. Photo courtesy of UC Davis

DAVIS, CA (MPG) - UC Davis Professor Shahid Siddique of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, received the 2026 Excellence in Teaching Award at the annual meeting of the international Society of Nematologists (SON) held in Baltimore.

In congratulating him, SON President Johan Desaeger of the University of Florida said that a recipient “must have excelled in classroom teaching of a nematology course or through developing innovative nematology teaching materials for use in a classroom setting.”

Joanna Chiu, professor and chair of the department, nominated Siddique for the award. “He fosters a learning environment of curiosity, collaboration, and critical thinking, three factors important in teaching science,” she wrote in her letter of January 2026. “In doing so, he encourages and empowers his students to succeed, and champions their accomplishments.”

Siddique, a member of the department's executive committee, is the lead faculty advisor for the undergraduate entomology major. Siddique is known for his innovative teaching, strong communication skills, passion for nematology, and dedication to academic excellence and public engagement.

“He is an exceptional scientist with an outstanding research track record; he is currently a principal investigator of nine research grants,” Chiu shared. “His commitment to excellence shows in all he does, from organizing sessions at SON’s international meetings, to serving on editorial boards, to reviewing upcoming journal articles, to engaging in scientific outreach, to advising industry boards, and to sharing information in public outreach. All of these experiences combine to create the exemplary educator that he is.”

Siddique joined the UC Davis faculty in March of 2019 from the University of Bonn, Germany, where he served as a research group leader in nematology from August 2010 to February 2019. Born and raised in Multan, Pakistan, he holds a doctorate in entomology (2009) from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria.