Former Pratt dean tapped for Energy post

Kristina Johnson, former dean of the Pratt School of Engineering, has been tapped to be under secretary of energy, White House officials announced Thursday.

Johnson served as Pratt's first female dean for eight years, from 1999 until 2007, when she left to become provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Johns Hopkins University. She could not be reached for comment, and nominees typically do not respond to media requests before they are confirmed.

"Dr. Johnson was a transformative leader as dean of the Pratt School at Duke and she will no doubt make an immediate and significant impact as under secretary of energy," Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations, wrote in an e-mail. "Her appointment is another sign that President Obama is serious about including science and distinguished scientists in policymaking."

If confirmed by the Senate, Johnson will be at the forefront of the Barack Obama administration's efforts to formulate new clean energy policies, leading initiatives directed at promoting efficiency and developing solar and wind power. She will step into the role just as $30 billion of the recently passed economic stimulus package budgeted for the Department of Energy.

"Each of these individuals brings a unique talent and dedication to the causes we are tackling everyday in my administration," Obama said of his newest slate of cabinet nominees in a White House press release. "Together they bring decades of public service and diverse backgrounds that will serve the American people well as we work to take on the big challenges of our time like strengthening our economy, achieving energy independence and making our government the most accessible and transparent in history."

Johnson is the second academic chosen to fill a top energy post. University of California physicist Steven Chu was confirmed as Obama's secretary of energy in January.

During Johnson's tenure at Duke, Pratt grew in both size and quality to become one of the top-ranked engineering schools in the country. She spearheaded efforts to expand interdisciplinary curriculum, add to student and faculty ranks and improve facilities. At Johns Hopkins, Johnson has worked to strengthen the university's education and research initiatives and attract minorities to the faculty, JHU President Ronald Daniels wrote in a message to the university community. She would step down from her post as provost if she joins the Energy Department.

"Provost Johnson's record makes clear her passion for harnessing interdisciplinary collaboration to address society's most urgent social and scientific problems," Daniels said. "Her experience, creativity and commitment to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration will contribute powerfully to the administration's efforts aimed at addressing global warming and other major energy-related problems."