In this edition of Dateline’s Laurels column, we have news on faculty members who have earned new fellowships, honors for work telling the story of UC Davis research and more.
Dateline UC Davis welcomes news of faculty and staff awards for publication in Laurels. Send information to dateline@ucdavis.edu.
Biomedical Engineering Society Fellow
Aijun Wang, a professor of biomedical engineering at the University of California, Davis, and a professor of surgery at UC Davis School of Medicine, has been named a 2026 Fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society, or BMES.
BMES is the leading American professional society for students, faculty, researchers and industry professionals working in biomedical engineering. The grade of Fellow is an honor reserved for members who demonstrate outstanding achievement in and have made significant contributions to the field of biomedical engineering and the BMES community.
The society has elected Wang in recognition of his innovations in bioengineering platforms and stem cell technologies. His advancements have opened the door for tissue regeneration and world-first treatments of birth defects, such as the groundbreaking CuRe Trial combining bioengineering with surgery to treat spina bifida with a stem cell patch.
— Matt Marcure
Signal Awards
An episode of the Unfold podcast produced by the Office of Strategic Communications has won two Signal Awards, putting the show in the company of productions by Amy Poehler, CNN, NPR and more.
“Just One Spore,” an episode about the fungal infection valley fever, earned a silver award in the science and education category, and a bronze award in the health and wellness category.
The episode was hosted by Amy Quinton and Marianne Russ Sharp.
Edward R. Murrow Award
A team of UC Davis scholars and Univision journalists have won an Edward R. Murrow Award for their production, De No Sabo a Sí Sé, which tells the story of Spanish in California and the experiences of heritage speakers.
Professor of Spanish Claudia Sánchez-Gutiérrez acted as a co-producer and faculty reviewer on the project. Agustina Carando, associate professor of Spanish and director of the Heritage Spanish Program, and Ana Ortega Pérez, Ph.D. ‘26, acted as reviewers and project contributors.
"It shows our shared commitment to taking research outside the university and making it useful in people's lives,” said Angélica María González Bastidas, UC Davis project lead, co-producer and lecturer in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese in the College of Letters and Science. “In the age of AI, and in a state such as California, this award confirms that the humanities, Spanish and community engagement are more necessary than ever.”
— College of Letters and Science staff
Office of Wellness Education Awards
Two College of Letters and Science at UC Davis faculty members and one affiliated research center were honored with awards from the UC Davis School of Medicine Office of Wellness Education for their pioneering work in the wellness space.
Associate Professor of Communication Drew Cingel received the Office of Wellness Education Award for Excellence in Research, Associate Professor of Chicana/o/x Studies Susy Zepeda received the Office of Wellness Education Award for Excellence in Advocacy and the California Lighting Technology Center received the Office of Wellness Education Award for Excellence as a Center.
The awards were presented at a ceremony held at the School of Medicine’s Matsui Hall on Oct. 12.
— College of Letters and Science staff
International Avian Practitioner of the Year Award
David Guzman, chief of the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital’s Companion Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery Service, was recently named the T.J. Lafeber Avian Practitioner of the Year. The award was presented at the 47th Annual Association of Avian Veterinarians Conference & Expo in Austin, Texas.
Beyond many avian species of companion birds served in the hospital, Guzman routinely cares for free-ranging birds of prey at the veterinary school’s California Raptor Center, as well as avian species from a small zoological collection.
— Rob Warren
American Veterinary Dental College Fellows
All three faculty members of the Weill School of Veterinary Medicine’s Dentistry and Oral Surgery Service have been named specialty Founding Fellows of the American Veterinary Dental College, among other honors presented at the Veterinary Dental Forum, the college’s annual meeting.
Boaz Arzi, Stephanie Goldschmidt, and Maria Solero-Rivera received the diploma of Founding Fellow in Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine, a specialized credential awarded to board-certified specialists who have completed high-level training, research and clinical practice beyond a standard residency.
Goldschmidt was also awarded the 2026 Jaguar Award for Excellence in Teaching and Research in Small or Wild Animal Odontology. The award is given annually to an outstanding individual who has contributed greatly through research and/or education.
— Rob Warren
Media Resources
Cody Kitaura is the editor of Dateline UC Davis and can be reached by email or at 530-752-1932.