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Better citizens of the world: The legacy of Ron Johnson

This remembrance was written by four of Ron Johnson’s former students and colleagues, each of whom was deeply influenced by his mentorship and legacy:

Gwen Holdmann, ACEP Chief Scientist
Mariko Shirazi, University of �Ӱ�pro President’s Professor in Energy at ACEP
Tom Marsik, Sustainable Energy Professor at ACEP and UAF Bristol Bay Campus
Jack Schmid, former research professional at the UAF Energy Center and ACEP (retired)

 

Ron Johnson was one of those rare people whose steady positivity, quiet wisdom and generosity of spirit left a lasting mark on everyone who knew him. Learning about his passing brings deep sadness, but also immense gratitude. For those of us fortunate enough to be mentored by him, his influence endures as a source of inspiration, reminding us to lead with kindness, humility and purpose.

Ron served as an engineering professor at the �Ӱ�pro for over three decades (1976–2009). He chaired the Mechanical Engineering Department and was the founding director of the UAF Energy Center — a predecessor to what is today the �Ӱ�pro Center for Energy and Power, or ACEP. He was not only a respected expert in mechanical and environmental engineering but also an educator who lived his values. Whether walking, skiing or biking to campus, he demonstrated daily his commitment to the environment and future generations.

A passionate athlete and marathon runner, he often connected with students and colleagues through lunchtime group runs. His encouragement extended well beyond lectures; he made time to cheer students on in life as well as in school. Mari Shirazi, one of many students he mentored, recalled one such moment. “I remember running a race one year, rounding a corner close to the finish and seeing my advisor Ron cheering me on. I was honored and touched,” she said.

One of Ron’s most enduring contributions to UAF and to energy education was the Energy and the Environment course that he developed and taught. For many of us, ^­­including Mari, Gwen Holdmann, Tom Marsik and Jack Schmid, it was through this class that we first encountered Ron’s teaching, and his mentorship shaped the direction of our lives and careers. The course went beyond facts and figures; it invited students to think critically, personally and globally about energy and sustainability. Just as important, it reflected how Ron lived his own life — with clarity of purpose, simplicity and care for the world.

Gwen recalls Ron’s patient, grounded presence — how he would truly listen, meeting people where they were and treating every question with respect. When she returned in 2015 to pursue a master’s degree in Energy Policy and Engineering, Ron was the first person she approached to serve on her committee and help shape her research. “We spent hours in his garden, reviewing the manuscript,” Gwen said. Gwen said his encouragement to focus on energy policy, where he believed the greatest opportunities for meaningful change lay, has continued to shape her work ever since.

Mari also traces her career in renewable energy back to that same course. As an undergraduate at UAF from 1994 to 1996, she biked to school instead of drive. “Why? Because my advisor did. Why do I have this career in renewable energy that I have now? This also is because of Ron,” she said. She described being captivated by the breadth of material in the class and encouraged by his approachable and individualized approach to teaching.

Ron later recommended her for a competitive summer internship at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, an opportunity she credits as a turning point. After spending 15 years at NREL, she returned to Fairbanks to join ACEP. Their connection resumed with afternoon visits and shared meals. “I got to discover the joy of spending time with Ron and his wife Carol as friends,” she said. “I got to see Ron’s courage, humility and grace. And it has made me a better person.”

Tom met Ron in 2004 while searching for a path in sustainable energy, and that meeting would profoundly shape the course of his career. As Ron’s Ph.D. student, Tom worked on issues related to indoor air quality and its ties to energy, but their relationship went far beyond the academic. “I couldn’t have asked for a better person to be my advisor, mentor and role model,” Tom reflected. “Where I am today is largely thanks to Ron,” he said. Over the years, the two formed a strong collaborative partnership, working late into the night on research papers and presentations. “We were a great team,” Tom said. Their work together led to five journal articles, a book and several public talks.

Jack is another alumnus of Ron’s Energy and the Environment course, an experience that ultimately led Ron to become his thesis advisor. “I was always impressed with Ron’s humility and his breadth of interests,” Jack said. “He genuinely cared to help make this world a better place.” After completing his degree in environmental engineering, Jack joined the UAF Energy Center at Ron’s encouragement, where the two continued to collaborate on hydrogen fuel cell and indoor air quality research. “The small crew of the Energy Center carried forward that work when ACEP was established,” Jack recalled.

He also remembers traveling with Ron to conferences and witnessing his ever-curious mind in action. “I recall being on the takeoff roll of an airplane while Ron did mental calculations of the thrust required to get airborne, estimating plane weight, acceleration, everything,” Jack said. “After being around Ron, I’ll always remember mundane things like how many BTUs are in a kilowatt-hour or how much energy is in a pound of hydrocarbon fuel. These were the kinds of things we’d end up discussing on a drive to Valdez to go fishing.”

Even though Ron’s intellect and deep technical knowledge were exceptional, what stood out most to those who knew him was his unwavering positivity and genuine care for others. Jack Schmid echoed this sentiment: “Whether it was a research problem or helping a student understand a difficult concept, Ron always focused on the positive aspects.” Even after his spinal cord injury in 1997, which dramatically changed his life, Ron continued teaching, using a wheelchair or walker, and remained committed to physical activity and professional engagement. “He challenged himself to do the best he could with the same sense of positivity,” Jack said.

This quality was especially apparent in his final days. “Even in hospice, when conversations touched on his dire situation, Ron would quickly change the subject to focus on the great life he’d had and the love and friendships that surrounded him during his final days and would continue to show a genuine interest in what was happening in our lives,” recalled Tom. “Despite knowing that his last day was coming, Ron continued to be the same positive, caring, loving, kind and amazing individual he always was.”

Perhaps Jack said it best, capturing what so many of us feel: “Ron helped each of us, along the way, to be better citizens of the world.”