Blake Everett Johnson

Blake Everett Johnson is a Teaching Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Instructional Laboratories in Mechanical Science & Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He holds a PhD (2012), MS (2007), and BS (2005) in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics from UIUC. His career includes roles as Teaching Assistant Professor (2019–2022), Lecturer (2015–2019), and Visiting Lecturer (2014–2015).

Johnson specializes in engineering education innovation, including:

• Developing hands-on design curricula across four years of undergraduate programs
• Leading service-learning initiatives with K-12 schools
• Pioneering the Entrepreneurial Mindset Fellowship to enhance teaching and leadership
• Revamping laboratory exercises in fluid mechanics and heat transfer
• Building presentation skills programs for capstone teams

His research focuses on:

• Entrepreneurial mindset development
• Service learning ecosystems
• Fluid mechanics applications
• Professional identity formation

Notable recognitions include multiple Engineering Council Outstanding Adviser Awards (2021–2023), Collins Scholar (2014), and excellence in teaching rankings. His work spans over 30 peer-reviewed articles, including groundbreaking ventilator design during the pandemic and innovative educational frameworks.

Service contributions include leadership roles in:

• Teaching Innovations Seminar Committee
• Specialized Faculty Recruiting
• ABET curriculum evaluations
• College-wide initiatives like the Engineers SPEAK program

Current projects include expanding a university-wide service-learning ecosystem and advancing interdisciplinary research training for undergraduates.