University of Richmond junior wins Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship
April 10, 2008
Miles Johnson, a University of Richmond junior from Akron, Ohio, has won a Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, the premier undergraduate scholarship in mathematics, science and engineering.
Johnson is among 321 undergraduates selected nationwide from a field of more than 1,000 students nominated for the awards by college and university faculty. The one-and two-year scholarships provide up to $7,500 per year to cover costs of tuition, fees, books, and room and board.
Another Richmond student, Anne Galyean, a junior chemistry major from Idaho Falls, received an honorable mention in the competition.
Johnson has been conducting research since his freshman year with Wade Downey, assistant professor of chemistry. He studies the aldol reaction, a powerful method for making bonds between two carbon atoms, which is frequently used by the pharmaceutical industry for the construction of drugs and drug candidates. Johnson was part of the university's first class of Howard Hughes Medical Institute pre-freshmen, a group of students who live on campus and conduct research during the summer before their freshman year.
He also is a Cigna and J. Gray Wright Scholar and vice president of the campus Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society. He plans to pursue a Ph.D. in organic chemistry, conduct research in organic and medicinal chemistry, and teach at the university level. He is the son of William and Virginia Johnson of Akron and a graduate of Firestone High School. Last year, three students received Goldwater Scholarships. Since 2000, 13 Richmond students have received the awards.
Congress established the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation in 1986 to foster and encourage excellence in science and mathematics.
Scholarships provide opportunities to American undergraduate students with excellent academic records and outstanding potential. The scholarship honors the late Arizona senator by encouraging students to pursue careers in mathematics, natural sciences and engineering. The foundation has awarded more than 5,500 scholarships worth approximately $54 million.