Faculty

Jennifer Johanson is an associate professor and the director for the environmental science program at Alverno College, where she has taught since 2003. Some of the courses she teaches include Environmental Geology, Earth Science, Chemistry Foundations, Sustainability and Technology, and Integrated Science.

In 2006, Johanson led the Alverno College Rain Garden Demonstration Project. In collaboration with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, she worked with students to design and install a rain garden at the north end of campus in order to decrease storm water runoff from campus and alleviate water ponding issues on the child care playground. In 2016 she worked with students and local businesses to survey residences in the area surrounding the college, collecting data on storm water downspout disconnection and working on ways to further lower the impact of urbanization on our natural waterways.

Prior to coming to Alverno Johanson worked as a senior hydrogeologist for an environmental consulting firm, where she investigated and evaluated complex environmental problems, prepared and presented client proposals, and wrote, reviewed and edited technical scientific reports. In the summer of 2010 she spent 12 weeks working as an interpretive ranger at Glacier National Park, interpreting park geology, glaciers and water resources for park visitors.

Johanson earned her Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of Minnesota - Duluth. She earned her Master of Science in Geosciences and her PhD in Geosciences from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. She has been a member of the National Science Teacher Association, the Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers, the Geological Society of America and the UWM GIS Council. She has also been certified/registered as a professional geologist by the American Institute of Professional Geologists, State of Wisconsin, and State of Illinois and as a Professional Hydrologist by the State of Wisconsin.