Harley T Johnson

Harley T. Johnson is the Executive Director and CEO of the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park and a Founder Professor in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He holds courtesy appointments as Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and affiliates in the Materials Research Lab (MRL) and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA). He directs the Illinois NSF Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (I-MRSEC). His academic roles include Associate Dean for Research (2019–2025) and leadership in various research initiatives.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. Engineering, Brown University (1999)
  • Sc.M. Applied Math, Brown University (1998)
  • B.E.S.M. Engineering Science and Mechanics, Georgia Institute of Technology (1994)

Research focuses on mechanics of electronic/photonic materials, nanostructures, and optical properties. Key areas include quantum dots, MEMS stress modeling, and nanophotonics. His work integrates atomistic and continuum models to address multiphysics phenomena in energy, microelectronics, and materials processing.

Recent articles emphasize graphene mechanics, twisted bilayer systems, and machine learning-driven design. His publications span journals like Nature Materials, Physical Review B, and Acta Materialia. Themes include defect dynamics, moiré engineering, and strain-driven phenomena.

• Awards:
  • SES Fellow (2020), ASME Fellow (2012)
  • Xerox Faculty Research Award, UIUC (2011)
  • UIUC Campus Award for Leadership (2020)

Teaching includes TAM 451 (Solid Mechanics) and TAM 559 (Atomistic Solid Mechanics). He advises on interdisciplinary initiatives like the NRT-HDR Materials Informatics program. His labs collaborate on projects such as emergency ventilator design for pandemic response and graphene-mediated surface stabilization.