Dr. Bahman Sheikh Memorial Award

Dr. Bahman Sheikh Memorial Award

The WateReuse Association, WateReuse California and Charlotte Burchard established the Dr. Bahman Sheikh Memorial Award to honor the legacy of a water reuse pioneer. Bahman Sheikh came to California in 1962 and received his M.S. and Ph.D. at UC Davis in Irrigation and Soil Physics. Beginning in 1976, Bahman led a groundbreaking demonstration project (the Monterey Wastewater Reclamation Study for Agriculture) that firmly established the safety of recycled water for irrigation of crops throughout California.

As Executive Director of the Los Angeles Office of Water Reclamation, and in his subsequent work as a consultant, Dr. Sheikh made similar contributions in the areas of urban and industrial water reuse. During a career that spanned half a century, Bahman helped communities around the world plan and design sustainable water systems and develop regulations to allow recycled water to be used safely. He may be most cherished, however, for the kindness and generosity he extended to everyone, especially to young professionals interested in water reuse, many of whom he mentored.

Bahman Sheikh became a Visiting Assistant Professor at UC Davis to continue his work and help train a new generation of water professionals to develop sustainable water supplies for California and the world. The Dr. Bahman Sheikh Memorial Award supports undergraduate students pursuing a degree focused on developing and implementing sustainable solutions for water resources management, including water recycling, that support agriculture, industry, and healthy communities.