Jaclyn Johnson, teaching professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) is one of three recipients of the 2025 Michigan Distinguished Professor of the Year Award. The awards are presented annually by the Michigan Association of State Universities (MASU) to recognize outstanding contributions and dedication to the education of undergraduate students exhibited by the faculty from Michigan’s 15 public universities.
“Johnson’s dedication is not simply to teaching, but to inspiring those she teaches, and this is the hallmark of an educator that is dedicated to fostering growth – educationally, professionally and personally,” said Dr. Andrew J. Storer, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Her drive to inspire and foster growth across all aspects of her many and varied educational activities makes her ideally suited for this prestigious award.”
Johnson ’08 ’11 received both her master’s degree and doctorate in mechanical engineering from Michigan Tech. She has previously held positions as lecturer and research engineer in MAE. Her research interests include in diesel spray and combustion, spark ignition characterization, and thermophysical property modeling, with specialties in optical and laser based diagnostics, image processing methodologies, and diesel spray characterization and analysis.
As an educator, Johnson has taught 20 unique courses over the last 10 years, developing and implementing courses across the MAE curriculum. Her depth of knowledge and curricular insight makes her a leader in accessible learning activities and hands-on intellectual inquiry.
In a practice-based learning course for second year mechanical engineering students, she developed a dynamic Ferris wheel. This tool allows students to understand real-time system behavior and controller requirements under various loads, with both experimental hardware and simulation. In another project for this course, students adapt an air handling unit to precisely deliver air to a neonatal intensive care unit. Facilitating learning by linking hands-on observations to engineering theory, while solving real-world engineering design problems, is an effective and innovative learning approach that Johnson has mastered and published on.
In addition to the MASU Distinguished Professor of the Year Award, Johnson has been recognized by a range of teaching awards at Tech, including Mechanical Engineering Teacher of the Year and selection to the Deans’ Teaching Showcase. She is frequently recognized by the Provost for being in the top 10% of student evaluations of faculty.
As faculty advisor for the Michigan Tech Engineering Ambassadors program, she has grown the program from four ambassadors to a dedicated team of 30 who regularly reach over 1,000 K-12 students per semester. She also serves as faculty advisor to the Society of Women Engineers, where she facilitates students’ professional development, and leads their Campus & Community Committee facilitating K-12 outreach. Johnson uses her leadership roles in these organizations to amplify the number and breadth of students at local and regional schools that participate in hands-on activities, exciting and educating them about engineering. Most notably, she spearheaded K-5 Engineering Day events which bring hands-on engineering to three local schools and upwards of 600 students per year.
“The recipients of this year’s Distinguished Professor of the Year Award exemplify the unwavering dedication to undergraduate education that defines Michigan’s public universities,” said MASU Chief Executive Officer Daniel Hurley. “Their innovative teaching methods, commitment to student success, and contributions to both their disciplines and communities set them apart as true leaders in higher education. These professors not only shape minds in the classroom but also inspire personal and professional growth that extends far beyond campus.”
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