Jeffrey Yokota grew up watching moon landings ignite his black and white television screen. He dreamed of working in NASA’s space program, as his parents took the family to Florida’s gateway to space. After earning his PhD at Cornell University in 1987, his dreams came true with a job at NASA. Yokota, who identifies as a Canadian kid, finds excitement in the immediacy of positive teaching outcomes, contrasting the long timelines of NASA projects that take five to ten years to yield results. He appreciates how students can see the benefits of their efforts right away. In one memorable instance, a student’s mother approached him during convocation to share how her son, who considered quitting engineering, changed his mind after taking Yokota's class, recognizing his own potential. He emphasizes that universities often overlook the potential in every student, a philosophy that drives his educational approach.
Toronto Metropolitan University • Toronto, Canada
Jeffrey Yokota has been involved in academia since completing his PhD at Cornell University.