Excellence in Organic Chemistry
Squire Booker ’87 professor of chemistry, biochemistry, and molecular biology at Penn State University, has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Election as an AAAS fellow is an honor bestowed by peers to members of the world’s largest general scientific society. The election recognizes his contributions to the field of mechanistic enzymology, particularly his research on enzymes employing extremely reactive molecules, known as free radicals, to catalyze their reactions. In 2011, he received an Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award given by the American Chemical Society to “recognize and encourage excellence in organic chemistry,” and in 2004, he traveled to the White House to receive the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, named among 57 of the country’s most promising scientists and engineers.
Booker earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994. That same year, he was awarded a National Science Foundation–NATO Fellowship for postdoctoral studies at Université Rene Décartes in Paris, France. In 1996, he was awarded a National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Fellowship for studies at the world-renowned Institute for Enzyme Research at the University of Wisconsin before joining the Penn State faculty in 1999.
He has mentored 15 graduate students and over 35 undergraduate students, and is known for encouraging students in underrepresented groups to consider science-based careers.
Congrats to Top ‘Roo Teachers
 Keith Mahaffey ’74 (MA ’75), a psychology teacher, was selected as Galveston (Texas) ISD Ball High School Teacher of the Year and, later, as Secondary Teacher of the Year. Also, in Galveston ISD, Jessica Antonelli ’09 (MAT ’11), was Teacher of the Year at Early Childhood University—and Elementary Teacher of the Year. |
| Jill Gin Dinges ’01 was selected by students and parents as the first “Teacher of the Year” at Imagine International Academy of North Texas for the 2012-2013 year, the first year of her teaching career. She continues teaching fourth grade at the new charter school in McKinney, Texas. |
 Naomi “Omi” Boggus Ford ’02 (MAT ’03) was named Teacher of the Year at Hunters Creek Elementary in Spring Branch ISD and later, District Elementary Teacher of the Year. This is Omi’s sixth year at the school where she teaches third grade, specifically language arts and social studies as part of a teaching team. |
 Jessica Smith ’04 (MAT ’05) was named Highland Park ISD Elementary Teacher of the Year. She is in her second year as a K-4 grade art teacher at Bradfield Elementary, with 700 students learning art history along with their studio lessons. As part of the Teacher of the Year honor, Jessica spoke at the district’s opening convocation in fall 2013, discussing the importance of creativity and teamwork. Meanwhile, four of her students were on stage painting at separate easels. As she finished speaking, they combined the four paintings to reveal the district mascot. |
 Laura Amlin ’05 was named Teacher of the Year this spring at Caldwell Elementary School in McKinney ISD. She teaches third grade at the school where she has worked for five years. |
Making Their Supreme Case
William Allensworth ’68 of Austin, Texas, argued before the United States Supreme Court in October 2013. Senior partner and founder of Allensworth & Porter, a construction law firm, he represented a central Texas subcontractor in the case that set precedent for forum-selection clauses in the construction industry. He has more than 35 years of experience in the field and has been named among the Top 100 Lawyers in Texas (of more than 90,000) by Texas Super Lawyers. Additionally, he has been listed as a Super Lawyer each year since 2004. He was listed in the Texas Monthly Top 50 Central/West Texas Lawyers and the Austin Construction Lawyer of the Year in the Best Lawyers 2012 listing.
Buck Files ’60 of Tyler, Texas, was part of a team that appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court in January in Paroline v. United States. A founding member of Bain, Files, Jarrett, Bain & Harrison, Files has practiced law for nearly 50 years, and in summer 2012, became president of the State Bar of Texas. Buck has received numerous honors for his work, including recognition from his peers with induction to the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association Hall of Fame and the Texas Board of Legal Specialization’s Garner Distinguished Service Award. He has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Criminal Justice Section of the State Bar of Texas and the Justinian Award from the Texas Center for Legal Ethics and Professionalism. Read about his experiences in “In Other Words.”
Brad Kizzia ’77 and Bill Ucherek ’89 argued a case, Bob Greene v. Farmers Insurance Exchange, before the Supreme Court of Texas on January 7, 2014.
Kizzia is a partner and trial attorney at Brown Fox Attorneys & Counselors. He is chair of the firm’s litigation and trial group and represents clients in complex business litigation, personal injury, labor and employment, and insurance litigation (including bad faith, insurance coverage, and agent errors and omissions), products liability, medical malpractice, consumer/deceptive trade practice, defamation, commercial litigation, and patent litigation.
Ucherek is a trial attorney with Juneau, Boll, Stacy & Ucherek in Addison, Texas, primarily representing clients in cases involving wrongful death, personal injury, general negligence, premises liability, and medical malpractice, as well as criminal defense matters. He is recognized as board certified in personal Injury trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He also is a member of the Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas.