Dr. Hassan Ahmad, professor of Chemistry, was officially selected as the new Director of the Guerra Honors Program in December of 2011. He served as the acting director of the program during Fall 2011. Dr. Ahmad received his B. S. in Chemistry from Aligarh Muslim University, India in 1976 and his Ph.D. in biochemistry from Aligarh Muslim University, India in 1983. He was a postdoctoral fellow at Universitat Kaiserslautern, Germany from 1985-1986 and at University of Texas Medical Branch from 1987-1991. In 1992 he was appointed Assistant Professor of Chemistry at The University of Texas Pan-American; he was promoted to Associate Professor in 1996 and became Professor in 2001. He served as Interim Chair 1999-2001 and became Chair of Chemistry in 2003.
He has 51 reviewed publications in areas including biochemistry, toxicology, carcinogenesis and ophthalmology. He has served as the member of the Minority Education Sub-committee of Society of Toxicology from 1997-1999. He is currently serving as the member of the Board of Directors of South Texas Education Technology, Inc. a state-supported charted High School in Weslaco, TX since 2000. He received the prestigious Chancellor's outstanding teaching award at UTPA in 2003.
Current research interest includes structure function relationship of proteins specially that of glutathione S-transferase (GST), a ubiquitous group of detoxification enzymes. Investigations are underway to determine the potential of phytochemicals, such as myristicin, limonoids, and flavonoids in inducing GSTs in animal models as well as cell culture system. Since the GSTs are strongly implicated in metabolism of a variety of carcinogens, their induction in tissues is considered as a possible mechanism of anticarcinogenesis. These studies are expected to help design effective long term strategies for cancer prevention by these naturally occurring phytochemicals. These studies are supported by grants from USDA and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Dr. Kenneth L. Buckman was named the Associate Provost of Student Engagement & Experential Learning in Summer 2011. He served as the Director of the Guerra Honors Program from Spring 2007 until Summer 2011. Dr. Buckman came to UTPA in the Fall of 1992 and has been teaching Humanities Honors Courses since 2001. Prior to coming to UTPA, Dr. Buckman taught two years at the University of Texas at Arlington. Dr. Buckman cares for his students and hismain goals are to cultivate in them intellectual growth, character and social responsibility. The primary task Dr. Buckman has as Hnors Director is to create a foundation of excellence to provide a transition for the Honors Program to become and Honors College. Although this goal is far in the future, the responisbiliety of investigating the reality of such a goal lies in his hands. Dr. Buckman sees his mission as nurturing students who are pursuing research, enabling them in the transition from undergraduate work to graduate work, medical school, law school, and professional careers. He is additionally seeking opportunities for finding money for the program to provide increased scholarships for research, to expand study abroad opportunities, to locate on-campus housing for honors students, to increase the number of faculty members who teach honors, to establish upper dvision courses and to find a larger space for the Honors offices. By setting these goals, as well as many others for the program, Dr. Buckman strives to maintain and expand the commitment to excellence that has been the hallmark of the University of Texas-Pan American Guerra Honors Program.
