UC Davis faculty members understand the value of teaching students and preparing them for success in life.

Earlier this year, soil scientist Randy Dahlgren was awarded the 2012 UC Davis Prize for Undergraduate Teaching and Scholarly Achievement, a testament to how well he connects with his students in — and out — of the classroom.

Thomas Famula, a professor of animal science, was recently named to a list of the nation’s top 300 professors by the Princeton Review and RateMyProfessors.com. His teaching style, one colleague said, instills in his students “the love of lifelong learning.”

Then there is brewing scientist Charlie Bamforth, who Playboy magazine last year featured among the Top 20 professors in the country “who are reinventing the classroom.”

Those are just a few of the university’s top teachers. This track record of teaching excellence is one reason why UC Davis ranks among the nation’s best universities.