Michael Richard Johnson

Michael Richard Johnson is a Teaching Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). He holds a BS from Worcester State College (1998), an MS in Applied Mathematics from WPI (2001), and a PhD in Economics from Clark University (2012). His research focuses on Industrial Organization, Game Theory, and applications of Graph Theory and Probability to real-world problems.

• Education:
• BS, Worcester State College, 1998
• MS in Applied Mathematics, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 2001
• PhD in Economics, Clark University, 2012

Johnson's research explores theoretical models for free and open-source software, including two-sided markets and code forking dynamics. He also developed methodologies for estimating fire spread probabilities using graph theory extensions of Dijkstra’s algorithm. He emphasizes technology integration in teaching, leveraging course-capturing tools from WPI's Academic Technology Center.

His teaching spans undergraduate and graduate courses in Calculus, Statistics, and Probability, with a focus on student-centered learning. He was recognized in WPI's 2019 Faculty Promotions and Tenure Awards.