EPBA VIII’s Judith Reese Received Outstanding Student Award at Euroseeds Congress
The 2026 recipient of the UC Davis Plant Breeding Academy's Outstanding Student Award is Judith Reese, with Norddeutsche Pflanzenzucht Hans-Georg Lembke KG (NPZ) in Germany. Sponsored by Euroseeds and Seed World Europe the award was presented to Judith by European PBA Director, Jovan Djordjevic, at the Euroseeds Congress in Valencia, Spain, on October 27.
Jovan added: “Judith brings something special to plant breeding. Coming from a farming background in Germany, she has a genuine connection to nature and plants, combined with an infectious curiosity and a real desire to understand how things work. She is thoughtful and respectful, but never afraid to ask a sharp question or challenge an idea. Just as importantly, she is an outstanding classmate, someone who makes the people around her better. Judith has been an absolute pleasure to have in the Academy, and I am delighted to see her receive this recognition. I am confident she has a bright future ahead in plant breeding and will contribute strongly to the European Seed Sector.”
Learn more about the 2026 Outstanding Student Award Winner, Judith Reese on the PBA website, and stay tuned for an official interview between Judith and Seed World Europe.
Judith’s EPBA Class VIII graduated just last month on October 9, 2026 at UC Davis campus. The next European Plant Breeding Academy class, Class IX, will begin in March 2027 in Enkhuizen, Netherlands. The EPBA IX Application is still open but space is limited. Applicants should apply as soon as possible to be considered. Learn more and apply here:
EPBA IX Information & Application
More About the UC Davis European Plant Breeding Academy and Euroseeds Partnership:
Euroseeds is the voice of the European plant breeding and seed sector. Euroseeds advocates for innovation in plant breeding and has underlined the importance of education and continuous development for sustained innovation. Many of Euroseeds member companies struggle to find the talents they need for their breeding programs. The demand for skilled individuals in breeding programs poses a significant challenge for many Euroseeds member companies. To address this need and further bolster support for the seed industry, the establishment of the UC Davis European Plant Breeding Academy was initiated in 2009.
The Traditional Outstanding Student Award sponsored by Seed World Europe, Euroseeds and UC Davis since the inception of the UC Davis European Plant Breeding Academy in 2009 serves as a symbol of the collective industry-wide commitment to continuous education and fostering innovation in plant breeding. This commitment is driven by the shared goal of creating new and improved varieties through plant breeding contributing to seed innovations, more sustainable agriculture, and healthy and sufficient food supply for all Europeans and beyond. Euroseeds has long been a supporter of the UC Davis European Plant Breeding Academy, dedicated to further training of plant breeders.