Annual Chemistry Banquet Celebrates Outstanding People

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry gathered together on Wednesday, April 4, to spend an evening in celebration of the outstanding accomplishments of its students over the past year.

The rooms were packed to capacity with around 260 attendees. BYU Dining Services prepared and served a three-course meal as the room buzzed with conversation and congratulations. Dr. Gregory F. Burton, the chair of the department, began the night with a warm welcome to all those in attendance and recognized the generosity of donors who made many of the honors awarded last night possible.

Dr. Burton also gave special recognitions to Professor Milton Lee, who was recently awarded the ACS Award in Separations Science & Technology, graduate student Joel Everett, who received an honorable mention for theBarry M. Goldwater Scholarship program, and an “unsung hero” Dr. Randall Shirts, who mentors the applicants for this scholarship. All students who attended the ACS meeting in San Diego March 25-29, as well as members of the Student Advisory Committee were also recognized.

Dr. Lee recognized Pankaj Aggarwal for receiving a prestigious nine-month fellowship from the ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry.

STUDENT AWARDS 2012

The following awards were presented by Dr. Matthew Asplund, Chair of the Central Utah Section of the ACS.

Spring Research Conference Section Winners

Recognizes the top presenters in chemistry sections of the Spring Research Conference.

Session 2, 1st place: Christopher Tracy, 2nd place: Jayson Pagaduan

Session 3, 1st place: Benjamin Kwok, 2nd place: Dipti Shah

Session 4, 1st place: Debolina Chatterjee, 2nd place: Elisabeth Pound

Session 5, 1st place: Brian Kirk, 2nd place: Zhiwei Ma

Session 6, 1st place: Chad Jones, 2nd place: Alisa Edmund

Session 7, 1st place: Sara Pratt, 2nd place: Taylor Cline

Session 8, 1st place: Brad Loertscher, 2nd place: Thomas Cook

Session 9, 1st place: Jie Xuan, 2nd place: Steven Foltz

Session 10, 1st place: Angela Calchera, 2nd place: William Rankin

Session 11, 1st place: David Eng, 2nd place: Pamela Nge

ACS Analytical Chemistry Junior Award: Joel Everett

Recognizes an outstanding junior student with exceptional aptitude in analytical chemistry. Provided by the ACS.

Catalyst Club Award: Lisa Heppler & Sadie Hirschi

Recognizes an outstanding female junior student in chemistry or biochemistry. This award is sponsored by the Catalyst Club, an association of women who are current or emeritus members of the department or spouses of current or emeritus members. This award was presented by Randalynn Macedone, president of the club.

The following awards were presented by Dr. John Lamb, associate chair of the department.

Undergraduate Student Awards

Freshman Chemistry Major Award: Kristine Senkane & Oliver Moore

Freshman Chemistry Non-Major Award: Daniel Anderson

Recognizes an outstanding student in the General Chemistry 111/112 sequence (majors) and an outstanding student in the 105/106/107 sequence (non-majors).

Organic Chemistry Major Award: Zac Poole & Elissa Cardon

Organic Chemistry Non-Major Award: Zachary Gibson

Recognizes an outstanding student in the Organic Chemistry 351M/352M sequence (majors) and an outstanding student in the 351/352 sequence (non-majors).

Chemistry Literature Award: Megan Hirschi

Recognizes an outstanding student in Chemistry 391.

Hypercube Scholar Award: Matthew Greer

Recognizes an outstanding student for scholastic excellence in chemistry.

Physical Chemistry Award: Matthew Nielsen

Recognizes an outstanding student in the Physical Chemistry 462/463 sequence.

Biochemistry Award: James Miller

Recognizes an outstanding student in the Biochemistry 481M/482M sequence.

Analytical Chemistry Award: Jacob Hedelius

Recognizes an outstanding student in the Analytical Chemistry 521/523 sequence.

Inorganic Chemistry Award: Kevin Teuscher

Recognizes an outstanding student in the Inorganic Chemistry 514/518 sequence.

Eliot A. Butler Service Award: Austin Gillespie

Recognizes a student who has provided significant service to the department while maintaining a high performance in course work and professional activities. This award is named in honor of Eliot A. Butler who was a former professor, chair, dean and associate vice president.

James A. and Virginia S. Ott Undergraduate Research AwardRecognizes a student for academic achievement and potential for success in research. This award is named in honor of James A. and Virginia S. Ott who were master teachers.

Emily Watkins

Trevor Pugh

Elizabeth Snedecor

Glenda L.M. Harr Undergraduate Research Award: Jonathan Wright

Recognizes a student with enthusiasm for chemistry and potential for success in research. This award is named in honor of the mother of an outstanding undergraduate teaching assistant who spent countless hours tutoring the donor of this award.

Keith P. Anderson Outstanding Graduating Senior: James Miller

Recognizes outstanding graduating senior(s) for overall scholarship and professionalism and classroom performance. This award is named in honor of Keith P. Anderson, a physical chemist who taught at BYU for more than 35 years.

The following awards were presented by Dr. Adam Woolley, associate chair of the department.

Graduate Student Awards

Loren and Maurine F. Bryner AwardRecognizes advanced continuing graduate students. This award is in honor of Loren C. Bryner, professor of chemistry for 38 years, and Maurine F. Bryner, a faculty member of Food Science and Nutrition.

Debolina Chatterjee

Yubo Li

Taylor Cline

Brad Loertscher

Marie Killian

Andy Peterson

Sambhav Kumbhani

Sara Pratt

Jennie R. Swensen Award: Brian Anderson, Vinod Chaudhary, Mickey Miller

Recognizes advanced continuing graduate chemistry or biochemistry students. This award is named to honor Dr. Albert D. Swensen and his lifetime of contributions to the department and in memory of his wife, Jennie Romney Swensen.

Telford and Frank Woolley Memorial Research AwardRecognizes outstanding students who are conducting significant research in cancer or in other health-related areas. This award is named in honor of Telford Woolley, a physician who passed away prematurely due to cancer. When his father died, his name was added to the award.

Mark Acerson

Christopher Woolstenhulme

Sara Mata

Komal Kedia

Garth L. Lee Award: Chad Rogers

Recognizes an outstanding continuing graduate student for religious commitment, service and scholarship. This fellowship is named in honor of Professor Garth L. Lee, who was a professor of chemistry at Utah State University for many years.

Outstanding Graduating Ph.D. Students: Alex Curtis & Jeffrey Lai

Graduate Research Fellowships

Stanley and Leona Goates Fellowship - 20 hr. assistantship for Spring and Summer 2012: Catalina Matias

Recognizes an advanced chemistry graduate student for outstanding scholarship and achievement in research. This award is named in honor of Stanley and Leona Goates, the parents of Dr. J. Rex Goates, professor of chemistry emeritus, and grandparents of Steven R. Goates, professor of chemistry.

Bradshaw Organic Chemistry Fellowship - 10 hr. research assistantship: Zhiwei Ma

Recognizes an advanced organic chemistry graduate student for scholarship and achievement in research. This award is named in honor of Jerald S. Bradshaw, an outstanding emeritus faculty member.

K. Robins Fellowships - 20 hr. research assistantship plus a cash awardRecognizes outstanding graduate students for outstanding scholarship and promise in research. These awards were created to honor Dr. Roland K. Robins, who was world-renowned for his creativity and activity in the syntheses of new medicinal compounds.

Angela Calchera

Vipul Gupta

Giri Dahal

Charles E. & Margaret P. Maw Fellowship - 20 hr. research assistantship plus a cash award: Anzi Wang

Recognizes an advanced chemistry graduate student for outstanding scholarship and achievement in research. This award is named in honor of Charles E. Maw, who was the founding chair of what is now the BYU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. He remained chair from 1907 to 1946. Margaret P. Maw was a teacher, school principal and prominent civic leader.

Undergraduate Research Awards

Given by department - award is $1500 for wages to do research during Spring and Summer 2012. This year, 47 students received an undergraduate research award.

Students on track to graduate from June 2011 to August 2012 were recognized, including fifty-eight undergraduate students who graduated or will graduate and twenty-one graduate students earning a Master’s or PhD.

By Jessica Henrie