Joy Putney, of Fairfax, Selected for Johnson Opportunity Grant at Washington and Lee University

LEXINGTON, VA (04/04/2014)(readMedia)-- Joy Putney, a sophomore from Fairfax, Va., has been selected by Washington and Lee University as one of this year's recipients of a 2014 Johnson Opportunity Grant at W&L. 

Putney is a double major in physics/engineering and biology. She will conduct research at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute in New Zealand in effective signal processing and modeling of gastrointestinal (GI) electrical activity. Her specific project will involve understanding the physiological basis behind the propagation of spike waves--a type of GI activity that occurs in the small intestine.

At W&L, she is a member of the General's Christian Fellowship, Engineers Without Borders, Model United Nations and Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society.

The grants are part of the Johnson Program in Leadership and Integrity, which awards approximately 30 Johnson grants each spring/summer to support students' research activities around the world. They are designed to help the students in their chosen fields of study as well as in their future careers. Students will receive between $1,000 and $4,500 to cover their living, travel and other costs associated with their activities.