Congratulations to UC Davis Professor Shahid Siddique of the Department of Entomology and Nematology on his appointment as the inaugural Howard Ferris Endowed Chair in Plant and Soil Nematology at UC Davis.
"This is a is a tremendous privilege, and I look forward to advancing research, mentoring the next generation of scientists, and building on Howard Ferris’ extraordinary legacy," he said today.
"The Howard Ferris Endowed Chair in Ecology and Management of Plant and Soil Nematodes was established to support the teaching, research, and service of the holder in the Department of Entomology and Nematology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences," related UC Davis Chancellor Gary May in an Aug. 7th letter to Siddique.
"The purpose of the Chair is to give special recognition to an individual selected on the basis of excellence in the area of Ecology and Management of Plant and Soil Nematodes," according to the position description. "The fund will provide supplemental financial support in teaching, research or outreach and all other related purposes. Funds can be utilized by the Chair holder to support students, purchase research equipment or computer time, travel to professional meetings and conferences and may support a portion of the Chair holder’s salary. "The funds may not be used to support a faculty member primarily involved in administration. The Chair term is for a five-year term appointment and may be renewable based on satisfactory review and at the discretion of the Dean."<.p Responsibilities of the Chair include:
- Teach a normal load for the department in which the Chair Holder is appointed including student advising and mentoring.
- Provide innovation and leadership in research in the area of Ecology and Management of Plant and Soil Nematodes.
- Engage in outreach activities specific to the designated intent by the donor including lectures, conferences, student research.
- Perform service to the appointee’s home department and the broader community as expected for faculty at the same academic rank.
- Enhance the academic and intellectual life of the campus as a whole.
Siddique just returned from the international Society of Nematologists' meeting in Baltimore, where he received the Excellence in Teaching Award.
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.
UC Davis Distinguished Professor Emeritus Howard Ferris, internationally recognized for his “exceptional, wide-ranging and unparalleled contributions to nematology” over a 64-year career, was elected Honorary Member of the Society of Nematologists (SON), the international organization’s highest award, in 2024.
The SON award, first given in 1968, is an honor achieved by only 2 percent of the membership. Ferris, who served on the UC Davis faculty for 36 years, was the third UC Davis faculty member to receive the honor. UC Davis Professor Emerita Valerie Williamson received the honor this year. The first two from UC Davis: Professor Merlin Allen (1912-1974), who won the honor in 1970, and Dewey Raski (1917-2014) in 1988.
Ferris, who transitioned to emeritus in 2014, developed and continues to maintain Nemaplex and Nemabase, “two of the most important online nematology resources available,” wrote the trio of nominators, Inga Zasada, USDA-ARS research plant pathologist, Oregon State University; Professor Larry Duncan, University of Florida; and UC Davis Distinguished Professor (now emeritus) Steve Nadler. “It is unlikely that there is a nematologist in the world that hasn’t used the online resources that Howard created.”
In a 2024 interview, Siddique described Ferris as a “leading expert in the field. He has been a remarkable influence in nematology, particularly in nematode ecology. His pioneering research has not only deepened our understanding of nematode ecosystems but has also set the standard for ecological studies worldwide, making him a leading expert in the field.”
“Dr. Ferris has devoted most of his adult life to the field of nematology," according to a statement read at the conference. “Similar to the ecological concepts that are central to much of his work, his research record of over 200 peer-reviewed publications has created a web of connections that touch a huge number of nematologists across the world.”
Ferris, who joined the UC Davis faculty in 1972, holds a master's degree in nematology and zoology (1968) from the Unversity of London and a doctorate in plant pathology from North Carolina State University (1972).