Distinguished Professor Zhi Ding of the University of California, Davis has been awarded the 2025-26 UC Davis Prize for Undergraduate Teaching and Scholarly Achievement. The announcement was made during his “Signal Analysis and Communications” lecture by Chancellor Gary S. May, who praised Ding’s contributions to teaching, research, and student mentorship.
“This award is one of the highest honors the university bestows,” said May. “It recognizes extraordinary teaching, scholarly distinction and mentorship that helps students during college and into their careers. Professor Ding is a shining example of all this and more.”
Richard L. Corsi, dean of the College of Engineering, also spoke at the event, emphasizing Ding’s integration of advanced research with effective teaching methods since joining UC Davis in 2000. Corsi stated, “The mission of the College of Engineering is ‘creating a sustainable world through socially responsible engineering, inspiring education and transformative research.’ Professor Ding is the embodiment of that mission statement. He is what we strive to be.”
Ding’s career in wireless communications began after earning his Ph.D. from Cornell University in 1990. His early work on Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) systems contributed to improvements in data transmission for 4G and 5G networks. He also set standards in adaptive signal processing and equalization techniques, which have improved performance and energy efficiency in modern wireless systems.
In recent years, Ding has incorporated artificial intelligence into wireless communication research. He co-authored “Modern Digital and Analog Communication Systems,” now widely used as an undergraduate textbook in over 170 universities worldwide.
Saif Islam, chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, supported Ding’s nomination for the prize: “This textbook is the most current at the undergraduate and intermediate levels, providing a solid foundation in telecommunication engineering and connecting foundational concepts with 21st-century communication technologies.”
Ding approaches teaching by positioning himself as a coach rather than just a professor to encourage teamwork among students. According to student evaluations collected each year, many credit him with changing both their academic paths and personal outlooks.
A former student wrote in support: “Professor Ding fully embodied the coaching role. He was consistently available for questions, approachable and invested in our progress. The toolset that I developed in [his] class was not just for signal processing but also for how to tackle hard problems.”
Ding continually updates his courses to reflect advances in technology by introducing practical learning opportunities such as software-defined radio platforms into coursework originally focused on theory. He designed hands-on experiments shortly after joining UC Davis for “Signal Analysis and Communications” and introduced “Digital Signals and Systems,” using Python programming to prepare students for AI-related projects.
Beyond campus initiatives, Ding helped launch BE-STARSE—a STEM education program funded by nearly $1 million from the National Science Foundation—to support K-12 students and teachers in California’s Sacramento Valley region.
Upon receiving news of his award during class, Ding reflected on his dual commitment to scholarship and accessible education: “Receiving this award is a tremendous honor because it celebrates two interdependent pillars of academic life that I hold dearest: the dedicated pursuit of scholarly knowledge and the sacred responsibility of translating that knowledge to be accessible and transformative for our students.”
He credited his students as motivation: “Your curiosity, your drive to be successful, your challenging questions and your sheer enthusiasm in the classroom fuel my endeavor every single day,” he said.
Chancellor May concluded by highlighting Ding’s impact: “As a fellow engineer and educator, I’m genuinely inspired by the effect Distinguished Professor Ding has had on our students and our campus. His work reflects the heart of what teaching in our discipline can be.”
Ding will be honored at a gala event at UC Davis’ Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts on February 19, 2026.