Eric Johnson, Ph.D.

Dr. Eric C. Johnson joined the Mathematics Department at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in July 2002 after eight years teaching at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) as a graduate student and one year as an Adjunct Professor at RPI and Siena College. Dr. J, as most his students call him, teaches a wide range of courses but counts Differential Equations, Network & Nonlinear Optimization, and Decision Models among his favorites; he is also an active advisor / mentor in the senior capstone course. Among his other collateral duties, Dr. J was the Associate or Director of Academic Advising at the USCGA from August 2011 through July 2021, served on the CGA Faculty Senate for nine years and the CGA Curriculum Committee for four and a half years, ran the Northeastern Section of the Mathematical Association of America as the elected Vice Chair / Chair / Past Chair from November 2012 through November 2017, and is currently the Lead Advisor for the Mathematics Department. Dr. J enjoys playing in various local volleyball leagues, has been organizing and running weekly lunchtime pick-up volleyball games at the Academy since 2004, and is an avid fan of the USCGA Women’s Volleyball team, the Boston Red Sox, and the Miami Dolphins.

Education

• Doctorate of Philosophy, Mathematics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, August 2001
• Master of Science, Mathematics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, May 1993
• Bachelor of Science, Mathematics (minors in Physics and Industrial Psychology), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, May 1991

Courses Taught

• Introduction to Calculus
• Calculus I
• Calculus II
• Multivariable Calculus
• Probability & Statistics
• Differential Equations
• Linear Optimization
• Advanced Engineering Mathematics
• Network & Nonlinear Optimization
• Probability Models
• Decision Models
• Operations Analysis
• Intermediate Differential Equations

Selected Publications and Presentations

• “Math Leadership in Action: Experiences, Opportunities, Challenges, and Strategies in Leading a Coordinated Course” panel presentation, MAA MathFest, Tampa, FL, August 2023
• “Why do I need to take Differential Equations?,” NES/MAA Spring 2023 Meeting, Fitchburg State University, Fitchburg, MA, June 2023
• “To Test or Not to Test – How Much of an Impact do Final Exams Have on Final Course Grades?,” MAA Math Fest, Philadelphia, PA, August 2022
• “A Comparison of Homework vs. Exam Averages, or What Kind of Homework Assignments Work Best?,” MAA Math Fest, Cincinnati, OH, August 2019
• “The Make-Your-Own Assignments,” NES/MAA Fall 2018 Meeting, Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, NH, November 2018
• “Math Placement at the Coast Guard Academy,” MAA Math Fest, Denver, CO, August 2018; repeated at the NES/MAA Spring 2018 Meeting, University of New Haven, New Haven, CT, June 2018
• “A Comparison of Homework vs. Exam Averages, or What Kind of Homework Assignments Work Best?,” NES/MAA Spring 2017 Meeting, Norwich University, Northfield, VT, June 2017
• “Teaching Operations Research at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy,” INFORMS National Meeting, Nashville, TN, November 2016
• “Operations Research at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy,” Norwich University Mathematics Colloquium, Northfield, VT, September, 2011
• “Starting a Senior Capstone Course: Reflections & Lessons Learned,” Mathematical Association of America Northeast Section (MAA/NES) conference, Fairfield, CT, May 2009
• “An Assessment Procedure for a First Semester Calculus Course,” New England Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges conference, Fall River, MA, April 2007; repeated at the MAA/NES conference, Framingham, MA, November 2007
• “Buoy Tender Mathematical Modeling,” with Krystinik, K.B. and Ostrowski, S.D., Connecticut College Senior Seminar, New London, CT, October 2006; repeated at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy INFORMS luncheon, New London, CT, October 2006 and again at the Worcester State College Senior Seminar, Worcester, MA, October 2008
• A Parallel Decomposition Algorithm for Constrained Nonlinear Optimization, Ph.D. thesis, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, July 2001

Honors

• Rensselaer Medal
• Max Hirsch Prize

Professional Memberships

• Northeastern Section of the Mathematical Association of America (NES/MAA)
  Contributed Talks Coordinator from July 2009 to Nov 2012
  Vice Chair / Chair / Past Chair from Nov 2012 to Nov 2017