The American Association of University Women (AAUW) awarded a 2015-16 American Fellowship to Shelby S. Putt, a doctoral candidate in anthropology at the University of Iowa.

American Fellowships, AAUW’s oldest and largest funding program, date back to 1888 and support women scholars who are completing doctoral dissertations, conducting postdoctoral research, or finishing research for publication.

"Receiving an American Fellowship is life-changing. Knowing that I have the support of AAUW is at the same time humbling and empowering. I plan to pay it forward by continuing to mentor and encourage women to pursue careers in science," says Putt.

Putt is a paleoanthropologist who focuses on the evolution of human language and cognition. Her doctoral research employs a brain imaging technique called functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure the brain activation patterns associated with Early Stone Age tool manufacture. She has been successful at obtaining grants from Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, the Leakey Foundation, and the Wenner-Gren Foundation to support her research.

The University of Iowa recognized her superb mentorship with an Outstanding TA Award, and she also helped establish the local University of Iowa chapter for Graduate Women in Science, which is in its second year of serving current and future women scientists in Iowa.