Terry Johnson

Terry Johnson served as Associate Teaching Professor of Bioengineering at the University of California, Berkeley, contributing extensively to education in biological and engineering sciences. Holding a master's degree in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Johnson joined the Berkeley faculty as a lecturer and advanced to teaching professor, becoming emeritus upon transitioning to the University of Chicago. He co-founded the UC Berkeley/UCSF Masters of Translational Medicine program, fostering interdisciplinary training in translational research at the intersection of biology and medicine. Additionally, he served as Faculty Director of the Berkeley Center for Teaching & Learning, promoting pedagogical innovation across disciplines. Johnson taught key courses including BioE 10: Introduction to Biomedicine for Engineers and BioE 104, emphasizing practical applications of biological principles in engineering contexts. His office was located at 418 Hearst Memorial Mining Building, where he advised more students than any other faculty member and led continuous improvements to the bioengineering curriculum.

Johnson's excellence in teaching earned him Berkeley's 2010 Golden Apple Award for Outstanding Teaching and the prestigious 2013 Distinguished Teaching Award, the first for a Bioengineering lecturer. Department chair Kevin Healy described him as 'an exemplary teacher whose enthusiasm, dedication and talent are an inspiration to both students and faculty,' highlighting his indispensable leadership in curriculum evolution. In research, Johnson's interests focused on synthetic biology and tissue engineering; he is an inventor on two licensed patents, one in tissue engineering and another in synthetic biology. He co-authored the popular science book How to Defeat Your Own Clone: And Other Tips for Surviving the Biotech Revolution, published to engage broader audiences with biotechnological advancements. Johnson delivered keynote speeches for Upward Bound and Berkeley Engineers and Mentors, served as lead judge for Berkeley’s Pioneers in Engineering high-school robotics competition, participated in high school outreach tours at the Center for Tissue Bioengineering, and advised the UC Berkeley iGEM synthetic biology team. His impact extends through public engagement and mentorship shaping future biologists and engineers.