Wagoner Johnson named ASME Fellow

MechSE Professor and Andersen Faculty Scholar Amy J. Wagoner Johnson has been named a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). Fellowship in the society recognizes exceptional engineering achievements and contributions to the engineering profession. Wagoner Johnson joins a distinguished group of engineering leaders who have made significant impacts in their fields.

Wagoner Johnson ­– who is also a founding faculty member in the Carle Illinois College of Medicine (CI MED) and has served as the head of CI MED’s Biomedical and Translational Sciences Department since 2019 – was recognized for her “seminal contributions to biomechanics and biomaterials, particularly in bone regeneration, soft tissue mechanics, and coral restoration, as well as for her innovative teaching and impactful leadership in engineering and medicine.”

A group of colleagues from leading institutions nominated Wagoner Johnson for this honor, including faculty from Columbia University, the University of Michigan, Purdue University, Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Colorado Boulder, and the University of Illinois.

“Professor Wagoner Johnson is a true visionary and pioneer in the field of bone engineering and soft tissue mechanics including applications of engineering mechanics in women’s health. Her leadership and research in these areas are shining examples of the impact and importance of converging engineering and medicine to develop new solutions to major health problems. The Carle Illinois College of Medicine is incredibly proud of her efforts and achievements and congratulates her on this well-deserved and prestigious award and recognition," said CI MED Dean Mark Cohen.

Wagoner Johnson’s groundbreaking research has significantly advanced the fields of biomechanics and biomaterials. Her innovative work on enhancing bone regeneration using multiscale porosity in calcium phosphate scaffolds has opened new avenues for cell-free approaches to bone healing. She has also made important contributions to understanding cervix mechanics in relation to preterm birth and has pioneered the use of engineered biomaterials for coral regeneration.

“Amy Wagoner Johnson embodies the innovative spirit, technical rigor, and educational dedication that we celebrate with the rank of ASME Fellow,” said Corey Neu, Donnelly Family Endowed Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder. “Her seminal research contributions, coupled with her outstanding work as an educator and diversity advocate, make her exceptionally worthy of this recognition.”

Wagoner Johnson was also recently selected as an investigator for the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago, co-leading a team that will spatially image interactions between inflammation, estrogen, and the extracellular matrix (ECM) in female reproductive tissues. Her interdisciplinary team will also examine the influence of propylparaben, a chemical preservative widely found in various daily-use products, on the interactions or intersections between estrogen-inflammation-ECM.

In keeping with her cross-disciplinary work blending engineering and medicine, she is the co-director of a new training program funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health. Intended for pre-doctoral students who want to work at the interface of reproductive sciences and engineering, the new “Interdisciplinary Research Training at the Interface of Reproductive Sciences and Bioengineering” program will focus on germ cell development, hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian function, spermatogenesis and fertilization, embryo-uterine crosstalk and pregnancy, and placentation and preterm birth.

In addition to her research, Wagoner Johnson is renowned for her dedication to education and mentorship. She has received numerous teaching awards, including being named the Society of Women Engineers Distinguished Engineering Educator in 2020.

“Wagoner Johnson’s work is impressive and ultimately irrefutable because of her rigorous utilization of multiple techniques to thoroughly investigate the biomechanics of regenerating and healing processes,” said Ellen M. Arruda, Tim Manganello/BorgWarner Department Chair in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan. “I regard Dr. Wagoner Johnson as a scholar of the highest caliber.”