Dr. Erik Johnson

Professor

Build a Statement of Purpose

Generate a tailored SOP for Dr. Erik Johnson. Improve your application with a focused, well-structured draft.

Biography

Erik Johnson is a professor in the Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Southern California and earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1988, 1993, and 1997, respectively. He also holds a certificate in Biblical Studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, obtained in 1991. Prior to his tenure at USC, he was a visiting research assistant professor at the University of Notre Dame from 1997 to 1999. He joined the USC faculty in August 1999 and has held various leadership roles, including Associate Chair and interim chair of the department from 2007-2017, and Vice Dean of Academic Programs for the USC Viterbi School of Engineering since 2017. Johnson has received several prestigious awards, including the National Science Foundation Early Faculty Career Development Award in 2001, and he is a senior member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. His research interests encompass smart structures, structural health monitoring, control of structural vibrations, computational stochastic dynamics, and multiobjective optimal control among other areas.

Research Interests

Experience

Professor

1999-08-01 — Present

University of Southern California • Los Angeles, CA

Joined the civil engineering faculty, focusing on structural engineering and dynamics.

Visiting Research Assistant Professor

1997-01-01 — 1999-01-01

University of Notre Dame • Notre Dame, IN

Conducted research in the field of aeronautical engineering.

Associate Chair

2007-01-01 — 2017-01-01

USC Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering • Los Angeles, CA

Oversaw academic programs and faculty matters within the department.

Vice Dean of Academic Programs

2017-01-01 — Present

USC Viterbi School of Engineering • Los Angeles, CA

Responsible for academic program administration within the engineering school.

Awards

#

Distinguished Alumnus Award

2016-01-01
#

Hanna Reisler Mentorship Award

2015-01-01
#

Dean's Faculty Award

2012-01-01
#

Junior Research Prize Medal

2005-01-01
#

Early Faculty Career Development Award

2001-01-01

Requirements for University of Southern California

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Listening
Required:20
Reading
Required:20
Writing
Required:20
Speaking
Required:20
Total
Required:100
GRE General
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in engineering or related science
Application Checklist
  • Official transcripts
  • GRE General scores
  • TOEFL scores (International)
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Personal Statement
Specialization Notes

Requires general GRE for all graduate degrees.