Kristina M. Johnson
Encyclopedia
Kristina M. Johnson was the undersecretary for Energy at the United States Department of Energy
until she stepped down Nov. 5, 2010. She has previously been the provost
and senior vice president for academic affairs at Johns Hopkins University
since September 1, 2007. Previously, she had been the dean
of the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University
since 1999. Dr. Johnson received her B.S.
, M.S., and Ph.D.
degrees in electrical engineering
from Stanford University
. She has also served as director of the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Optoelectronics
Computing
Systems at the University of Colorado at Boulder
. Additionally, Dr. Johnson co-founded the Colorado
Advanced Technology Institute Center of Excellence in Optoelectronics and is a director of Minerals Technologies Inc., AES Corporation
, Nortel
and Guidant Corporation (until Guidant's merger with Boston Scientific). She also served as Director at Boston Scientific Corporation until her recent confirmation to be Undersecretary of Energy for the Obama Administration.
A strong proponent of women in leadership, science and engineering, she is writing a book chronicling some of the best stories and anecdotes from women leaders.
Johnson grew up in Denver, Colo. She attended Hamilton Junior High School, where she was the self-appointed president of the environmental club. At Thomas Jefferson High School, she won two state science competitions and played attack on the boys' lacrosse team. After graduating with her first degree from Stanford University, she was one of the final players to be cut from the U.S. Olympic field hockey team prior to the 1980 Summer Olympics. In 1993 Kristina Johnson was awarded the prestigious International Dennis Gabor Award
.
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
until she stepped down Nov. 5, 2010. She has previously been the provost
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
and senior vice president for academic affairs at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
since September 1, 2007. Previously, she had been the dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
since 1999. Dr. Johnson received her B.S.
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
, M.S., and Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degrees in electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. She has also served as director of the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Optoelectronics
Optoelectronics
Optoelectronics is the study and application of electronic devices that source, detect and control light, usually considered a sub-field of photonics. In this context, light often includes invisible forms of radiation such as gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet and infrared, in addition to visible light...
Computing
Computing
Computing is usually defined as the activity of using and improving computer hardware and software. It is the computer-specific part of information technology...
Systems at the University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
. Additionally, Dr. Johnson co-founded the Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
Advanced Technology Institute Center of Excellence in Optoelectronics and is a director of Minerals Technologies Inc., AES Corporation
AES Corporation
AES Corporation is a Fortune 500 company that generates and distributes electrical power. The company was founded on January 28, 1981, as Applied Energy Services by Roger Sant from the US Federal Energy Administration and Dennis Bakke from the Office of Management and Budget. AES Corporation is...
, Nortel
Nortel
Nortel Networks Corporation, formerly known as Northern Telecom Limited and sometimes known simply as Nortel, was a multinational telecommunications equipment manufacturer headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada...
and Guidant Corporation (until Guidant's merger with Boston Scientific). She also served as Director at Boston Scientific Corporation until her recent confirmation to be Undersecretary of Energy for the Obama Administration.
A strong proponent of women in leadership, science and engineering, she is writing a book chronicling some of the best stories and anecdotes from women leaders.
Johnson grew up in Denver, Colo. She attended Hamilton Junior High School, where she was the self-appointed president of the environmental club. At Thomas Jefferson High School, she won two state science competitions and played attack on the boys' lacrosse team. After graduating with her first degree from Stanford University, she was one of the final players to be cut from the U.S. Olympic field hockey team prior to the 1980 Summer Olympics. In 1993 Kristina Johnson was awarded the prestigious International Dennis Gabor Award
International Dennis Gabor Award
The International Dennis Gabor Award is awarded by the NOVOFER Foundation of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences for outstanding scientific achievements with practical applications, with a clear positive attitude towards international cooperation of the researchers. It is named after the Nobel Prize...
.