By RAYMOND ADEEKO

Staff Writer

Kyle Guice, a senior chemical engineering major, was recently named to the USA Today's 2004 All-USA College Academic Team.

The program was established to honor 60 undergraduates as representatives of all outstanding students at the nation's colleges and universities.

Guice said he felt honored to be selected as part of the distinguished group of young scholars.

"There are a lot of phenomenal students being recognized on the team," Guice said. "It's quite an honor to be selected especially considering only two people from Louisiana were mentioned in the team."

The criteria for selection into this group are designed specifically to find students who stand out in academic, extracurricular and leadership roles both on and off campus.

Guice was chosen based on submissions of nomination by Dr. Bill Elmore, an academic director of chemical engineering, civil engineering, geology and construction engineering technology and an Upchurch associate professor.

Guice also had to write an essay on his undergraduate research work in nanotechnology.

Elmore, along with Dr. Michael McShane, an assistant professor of biomedical engineerig, and Dr. James Nelson, an associate dean of undergraduate studies in the College of Engineering and Science and a professor of civil engineering, all wrote recommendation letters with the nomination.

"Kyle exhibits the qualities of a leader and has unquestionable academic abilities," Elmore said. "He has a high capacity for leadership and there are not many guys like him."

Nelson agreed with him and said Guice is a unique student who likes to get involved.

"He's one of the most outstanding students to have passed the college for sometime and not only is he outstanding academically, he's also involved in research and service organizations," Nelson said. "He does some of everything."

Guice said he is grateful to the faculty for nominating him for the team. He said it is encouraging for him that his efforts are acknowledged by his professors.

"They are very supportive, and I'm very appreciative of them," Guice said. "It's an honor that they have that kind of respect for me to nominate me for this kind of program."

Guice is currently working on a project funded by NASA that involves use of oxygen nanosensors in microgravity.

Guice has participated in various curricular and extracurricular activities and has received many honors and titles. He has also presented his works at the ACS National Conference in New York, aforum for networking opportunities and at the 2nd Joint IEEE-Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS)/Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) Conference in Houston, a forum for professionals of engineering in medicine.

Guice has published articles in nanotechnology journals and also in Sensors and Material, an international journal on sensor technology.