HARDYSTON - Matthew George Johnson of Hardyston graduated with distinction in May from Duke University in Durham, N.C., with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. He is the son of George and Terry Johnson of Hardyston and a 2002 graduate of Wallkill Valley High School. Johnson researched and presented his honors thesis on genetic relationships within Sphagnum cribosum in southeastern North Carolina. He is a dean’s list student and the recipient of two National Science Foundation grants and a Howard Hughes grant. Johnson has accepted a position as assistant scientist researching corn and soy genetics at BASF in North Carolina.