Erik Johnston
Professor, School for the Future of Innovation in Society, College of Global Futures
School for the Future of Innovation in Society
Arizona State University
PO Box 875603
Phoenix, AZ 85287-5603
Titles
- Senior Global Futures Scientist, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory
- Professor, School for the Future of Innovation in Society, College of Global Futures
- Director, Center for Policy Informatics, School of Public Affairs
- Affiliated Faculty, Center for Behavior, Institutions and the Environment, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Biography
Erik Johnston is a professor with the School for the Future of Innovation in Society where he is also the Chair the of the PhD program in Human and Social Dimensions in Science and Technology. He is the co-director of the Center for Smart Cities and Regions and the director of Policy Informatics at the Decision Theater. His research in smart cities and regions integrates open governance and policy informatics applications of public interest technology to serve all communities, including participation from traditionally underserved populations. His research in opening governance explores how our governance systems can evolve to address increasingly complex challenges and to meet the rising expectations of the public to have many pathways to share their talents, data, expertise, and energy to improve their communities. His research in policy informatics is the study of how computational and communication technology is leveraged to specifically understand and address complex public policy and administration problems and realize innovations in governance insights, processes, and institutional design.
Reducing health and infrastructure vulnerability to current and future threats requires innovative, interdisciplinary approaches that appreciate the interdependencies across multiple social systems like education and health, integrating basic and applied natural and social science in a framework that not only provides stakeholders with new evidence to support effective decision-making, but also accelerates the identification of the next series of important questions that research must address in cooperation with community partners.
Johnston contributes to the Knowledge Exchange for Resilience team of fellows, scholars, partners and staff by developing and supporting research and outreach activities in open governance and policy informatics to create new pathways to resilience in education and health systems.
Johnston earned a PhD in Information and a Certificate in Complex Systems from the University of Michigan. He is a two-time NSF IGERT fellow, in the STIET (Socio-Technical Infrastructure for Electronic Transactions) and IDEAS (Institutions, Diversity, Emergence, Adaptation, and Structures) programs.
Education
- Graduate Certificate, Complex Systems, University of Michigan, 2007
- PhD, Information, University of Michigan, 2007
- MS, Information Technology, University of Denver, 2000
- BS, Computer Science and Psychology, University of Denver, 2000
- MBA, Business Administration, University of Denver, 2000
Expertise
Journal Articles
2020
Park, C. H., J. Longo and E. W. Johnston. 2020. Exploring non-stakeholder and community-led open governance: Beyond the three pillars of open government. Public Performance & Management Review 43(3):587-612. DOI: 10.1080/15309576.2019.1677253. (link )
Pine, K. H., M. M. Hinrichs, J. Wang, D. Lewis and E. Johnston. 2020. For impactful community engagement: Check your role. Communications of the ACM 63(7):26-28. DOI: 10.1145/3401720. (link )
Wellman, N., J. M. Applegate, J. Harlow and E. W. Johnston. 2020. Beyond the pyramid: Alternative formal hierarchical structures and team performance. Academy of Management Journal 63(4):997-1027. DOI: 10.5465/amj.2017.1475. (link )
2019
Park, C. H. and E. W. Johnston. 2019. Determinants of collaboration between digital volunteer networks and formal response organizations in catastrophic disasters. International Journal of Theory & Behavior 22(2):155-173. DOI: 10.1108/IJOTB-07-2018-0088. (link )
Park, C. H. and E. W. Johnston. 2019. Intentionally building relationships between participatory online groups and formal organisations for effective emergency response. Disasters 43(3):634-657. DOI: 10.1111/disa.12354. (link )
2018
Harlow, J., E. Johnston and E. Hekler. 2018. Fostering sustainability transitions by designing for the convergence of policy windows and transition arenas. Sustainability 10(9):2975. DOI: 10.3390/su10092975 . (link )
Hondula, D. M., E. R. Kuras, J. Longo and E. W. Johnston. 2018. Toward precision governance: Infusing data into public management of environmental hazards. Public Management Review 20(5):746-765. DOI: 10.1080/14719037.2017.1320043. (link )
2017
Longo, J., E. Kuras, H. Smith, D. M. Hondula and E. Johnston. 2017. Technology use, exposure to natural hazards, and being digitally invisible: Impllications for policy analytics. Policy & Internet 9(1):76-108. DOI: 10.1002/poi3.144. (link )
Park, C. H. and E. W. Johnston. 2017. A framework for analyzing digital volunteer contributions in emergent crisis response efforts. New Media & Society 19(8):1308-1327. DOI: 10.1177/1461444817706877. (link )
Wald, D. M., E. Segal, E. W. Johnston and A. Vinze. 2017. Understanding the influence of power and empathic perspective-taking on collaborative natural resource management. Journal of Environmental Management 199:201-210. DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.05.030.
2016
Bixler, A. P., D. M. Wald, L. A. Ogden, K. Leong, E. W. Johnston and M. Romolini. 2016. Network governance for large‐scale natural resource conservation and the challenge of capture. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 14(3):165-171. DOI: 10.1002/fee.1252. (link )
Imperial, M. T., E. W. Johnston, M. Pruett-Jones, K. Leong and J. Thomsen. 2016. Sustaining the useful life of network governance: Life-cycles and developmental challenges. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 14(3):135-144.
Imperial, M. T., S. Ospina, E. W. Johnston, R. O'Leary, J. Thomsen, P. Williams and S. Johnson. 2016. Understanding leadership in a world of shared problems: advancing networked governance in large landscape conservation. Frontiers in Ecology and Environment 14(3):126-134.
Kelley, T. M. and E. W. Johnston. 2016. Immersive policy learning: An interactive course experiment. Journal of Public Affairs Education 22(1):125-140. DOI: 10.1080/15236803.2016.12002232. (link )
Treisman, C., T. M. Kelley and E. W. Johnston. 2016. Designing successful participatory platforms with a public intent: Lessons learned from practitioners, scholars, and citizen participants. International Journal of Organization Theory & Behavior 19(4):479-513. DOI: 10.1108/IJOTB-19-04-2016-B004. (link )
2015
Johnston, E. W. and K. C. Desouza. 2015. Governance in the information Era: Theory and practice of policy informatics.
2014
Auer, J. C., C. Kao, L. Hemphill, E. W. Johnston and S. D. Teasley. 2014. The uncertainty challenge of contingent collaboration. Human Resource Management Journal 24(4):531-547. DOI: 10.1111/1748-8583.12045. (link )
Lampe, C., P. Zube, J. Lee, C. H. Park and E. Johnston. 2014. Crowdsourcing civility: A natural experiment examining the effects of distributed moderation in online forums. Government Information Quarterly 31(2):317-326. DOI: 10.1016/j.giq.2013.11.005. (link )
2013
Hu, Q., P. Johnston and L. Hemphill. 2013. Fostering cooperative community behavior with information technology tools: The influence of a designed deliberative space on efforts to address collective challenges. The Journal of Community Informatics 9(1):. (link )
Krishnamurthy, R., A. Bhagwatwar, E. W. Johnston and K. C. Desouza. 2013. A glimpse into policy informatics: The case of participatory platforms that generate synthetic empathy. Communications of the Association of Information Systems 33(1):21. (link )
Lucio, J. D., J. C. Auer and E. W. Johnston. 2013. Neighborhood diversity: Framework for municipalities. State and Local Government Review 45(1):48-56. DOI: 10.1177/0160323X12471955. (link )
2012
Hu, Q. and E. W. Johnston. 2012. Using a wiki-based course design to create a student-centered learning environment: Strategies and lessons. Journal of Public Affairs Education 18(3):493-512. (link )
Hu, Q., E. Johnston, L. Hemphill, R. Krishnamurthy and A. Vinze. 2012. Exploring the role of interactive computer simlations in public administration education. Journal of Public Affairs Administration 18(3):513-530. (link )
Kelley, T. M. and E. Johnston. 2012. Discovering the appropriate role of serious games in the design of open governance platforms. Public Adminstration Quarterly 36(4):533-554. (link )
2011
Johnston, E. W., D. Hicks, N. Nan and J. C. Auer. 2011. Managing the inclusion process in collaborative governance. Journal of Public Administration and Theory 21(4):699-721. DOI: 10.1093/jopart/muq045. (link )
Johnston, E. W., Q. Hu and J. Auer. 2011. Lost in translation: Overcoming barriers of integrating evidence with practice. International Journal of Critical Infrastructures 7(4):317-334. DOI: 10.1504/IJCIS.2011.045067. (link )
Kim, Y., E. W. Johnston and H. S. Kang. 2011. A computational approach to managing performance dynamics in networked governance systems. Public Performance & Management Review 34(4):580-597. DOI: 10.2753/PMR1530-9576340407. (link )
2010
Johnston, E. 2010. Governance infrastructures in 2020. Public Administration Review 70(Supple. s1):s122-s128. DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-6210.2010.02254.x. (link )
2009
Nan, N. and E. W. Johnston. 2009. Using multi-agent simulation to explore the contribution of facilitation to GSS transition. Journal of the Association for Information Systems 10(3):Art. 2. (link )
2008
Hicks, D., C. Larson, C. Nelson, D. L. Olds and E. Johnston. 2008. The influence of collaboration on program outcomes: The Colorado Nurse-Family Partnership. Evaluation Review 32(5):433-477. DOI: 10.1177/0193841X08315131. (link )
Johnston, E. W., N. Nan, W. Zhong and D. Hicks. 2008. Between implementation and outcomes, growth matters: Validating an agent-based modeling approach for understanding collaboration process management. The Innovation Journal: The Public Sector Innovation Journal 13(3):Art. 7. (link )
Nan, N., E. W. Johnston and J. S. Olson. 2008. Unintended consequences of collocation: Using agent-based modeling to untangle effects of communication delay and in-group favor. Computational & Mathematical Organization Theory 14(2):57-83. DOI: 10.1007/s10588-008-9024-4. (link )
2007
Johnston, E., Y. Kim and M. Ayyangar. 2007. Intending the unintended: The act of building agent-based models as a regular source of knowledge generation. Interdisciplinary Description of Computer Systems 5(2):81-91. (link )
2004
Johnston, E. and D. Hicks. 2004. Speaking in teams: Motivating a pattern language for collaboration. Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems 2(2):136-143. (link )
Books
2015
Johnston, E. W. ed. 2015. Governance in the Information Era: Theory and Practice of Policy Informatics. Routledge. ISBN: 978-1138832084.
Book Chapters
2018
Park, C. H. and E. W. Johnston. 2018. An event-driven lens for bridging formal organizations and informal online participation: How policy informatics enables just-in-time responses to crises. Pp. 343-361 In: Gil-Garcia, J. R., T. A. Pardo and L. F. Luna-Reyes eds., Policy Analytics, Modelling, and Informatics: Innovative Tools for Solving Complex Social Problems. Vol 25. Springer, Cham. ISBN: 978-3-319-61761-9.
2016
Uebelherr, J., D. M. Hondula and E. W. Johnston. 2016. Using participatory modeling to enable local innovation through complexity governance. Pp. 215-236 In: Vermeulen, B. and M. Paier eds., Innovation Networks for Regional Development: Concepts, Case Studies, and Agent-Based Models. Springer, Cham. ISBN: 978-3-319-43939-6.
2015
Johnston, E. W. 2015. Conceptualizing policy informatics. Pp. 3-22 In: Johnston, E. W. ed., Governance in the Information Era: Theory and Practice of Policy Informatics. Routledge. New York, NY. ISBN: 978-1138832084.
2012
Johnston, E. W., K. C. Desouza, Q. Hu and R. Krishnamurthy. 2012. Adding a complex adaptive systems approach to public administration research. Pp. 68-93 In: Gerrits, L. and P. Marks eds., COMPACT I: Public Administration in Complexity. Emergent Publications.
2011
Johnston, E. W. and D. J. Hansen. 2011. Design lessons for smart governance infrastructure. Pp. 197-212 In: Balutis, A., T. F. Buss and D. Ink eds., Transforming American Governance: Rebooting the Public Square. Taylor & Francis. ISBN: 9780765627704.
Posters
2015
Morse, D., R. Greenhouse and E. W. Johnston. 2015. Effects of public outreach best management practices on high water use. Poster presented at the Decision Center for a Desert City Annual Poster Symposium, April 27, 2015, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2014
Brancati, O., J. Kros and E. Johnston. 2014. The role of legislators in determining the management of Arizona’s water. Poster presented at the Decision Center for a Desert City Annual Poster Symposium, April 28, 2014, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Krishnamurthy, R., D. M. Wald, E. W. Johnston and A. Vinze. 2014. Power imbalances influence collaborative decision making: Interactive computer simulation. Poster presented at the Decision Center for a Desert City Annual Poster Symposium, April 28, 2014, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Krishnamurthy, R., D. M. Wald, E. W. Johnston and A. Vinze. 2014. Power imbalances influence collaborative decision making: Interactive computer simulation. Poster presented at the AAAS 2014 Annual Meeting, Meeting Global Challenges: Discovery and Innovation, February 13-17, 2014, Chicago, IL.
2013
Krishnamurthy, R., E. W. Johnston, M. Vijayakumar and A. Vinze. 2013. Fostering perspective-taking in collaborative decision making through an interactive computer simulation. Poster presented on May 1, 2013 at the Decision Center for a Desert City Annual Poster Symposium, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Krishnamurthy, R., E. W. Johnston, M. Vijayakumar and A. Vinze. 2013. Fostering perspective-taking in collaborative decision making through an interactive computer simulation. Poster presented February 17, 2013 at the Decision Making Under Uncertainty (DMUU) Session of the AAAS Annual Meeting, February 14-18, 2013, Boston, MA.
Vijayakumar, M., E. W. Johnston and R. Krishnamurthy. 2013. Sustainability, collaboration and uncertainty: A scenario—based evaluation of water issues for desert cities using computer simulation. Poster presented February 17, 2013 at the Decision Making Under Uncertainty (DMUU) Session of the AAAS Annual Meeting, February 14-18, 2013, Boston, MA.
Vijayakumar, M., E. W. Johnston, R. Krishnamurthy and A. Vinze. 2013. Sustainability, collaboration and uncertainty: A scenario—based evaluation of water issues for desert cities using computer simulation. Poster presented on May 1, 2013 at the Decision Center for a Desert City Annual Poster Symposium, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
2012
Dudhbhate, G., E. W. Johnston, A. Vinze, R. Krishnamurthy, D. Desai and Q. Hu. 2012. A decision making game to guide water sustainability related to policy outcomes. Poster presented February 19, 2012 at the AAAS Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC, Canada, February 16-20, 2012.
Dudhbhate, G., E. W. Johnston, A. Vinze, R. Krishnamurthy, D. Desai and Q. Hu. 2012. A decision making game to guide water sustainability related to policy outcomes. Poster presented on April 25, 2012 at the Decision Center for a Desert City Annual Poster Symposium, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Krishnamurthy, R., Q. Hu and E. W. Johnston. 2012. Interactive computer simulations for public administration education. Poster presented on April 25, 2012 at the Decision Center for a Desert City Annual Poster Symposium, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
Krishnamurthy, R., Q. Hu and E. W. Johnston. 2012. Interactive computer simulations for public administration education. Poster presented March 4, 2012 at the Annual Conference of the American Society for Public Administration, Las Vegas, NV, March 2-6, 2012.
Presentations
2017
Hondula, D. M., M. Chavez, J. Harlow, A. Middel, E. W. Johnston and J. K. Vanos. 2017. Thermal comfort and shade provision at City of Phoenix bus stops. Presentation at the Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting, April 5-9, 2017, Boston, MA.
2014
Johnston, E. W. 2014. Designing networks for nature: The art and science of resilient collaboration. Presentation at the Conservation in Metropolitan Regions Track of the Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute Conference, March 13-14, 2014, Denver, CO. Presented March 14, 2014 as part of the Conservation in Metropolitan Regions Track of the Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute Conference, March 13-14, 2014, Denver, CO.
Johnston, E. W. 2014. Governance as a complex system. Presentation at the SKIN (Simulating Knowledge and Innovation Networks) 3 Workshop: Joining Complexity Science and Social Simulation for Policy, May 22-23, 2014, Budapest, Hungary. Keynote speaker at SKIN (Simulating Knowledge and Innovation Networks) 3 Workshop: Joining Complexity Science and Social Simulation for Policy, May 22-23, 2014, Budapest, Hungary.
Wald, D. M., E. W. Johnston, K. Leong and L. A. Ogden. 2014. The challenge of networked governance for large landscapes and natural resource conservation. Presentation at the Pathways 2014 Conference: Integrating Human Dimensions into Fish and Wildlife Management, October 5-9, 2014, Estes Park, CO. Presented October 8, 2014 at the Pathways 2014 Conference: Integrating Human Dimensions into Fish and Wildlife Management, October 5-9, 2014, Estes Park, CO.
Wald, D. M., E. W. Johnston and A. Vinze. 2014. The dynamics of shared governance for collaborative wildlife management. Presentation at the Pathways 2014 Conference: Integrating Human Dimensions into Fish and Wildlife Management, October 5-9, 2014, Estes Park, CO. Presented October 7, 2014 at the Pathways 2014 Conference: Integrating Human Dimensions into Fish and Wildlife Management, October 5-9, 2014, Estes Park, CO.
Wald, D. M., E. W. Johnston and A. Vinze. 2014. Understanding the influence of power on collaborative decision making for the management of natural resources. Presentation at the North American Congress for Conservation Biology, July 13-16, 2014, Missoula, Montana.
2013
Johnston, E. W. 2013. Problem framing: Obstacles to translating evidence to practice. Presentation at the State of Science in Policy Decision-Making Plenary Session at the The Nature Conservancy All Science Conference for Nature and People, December 10-12, 2013, Santa Clara, CA. Presented December 10, 2013 at the State of Science in Policy Decision-Making Plenary Session at the The Nature Conservancy All Science Conference for Nature and People, December 10-12, 2013, Santa Clara, CA.
Krishnamurthy, R., E. W. Johnston and A. Vinze. 2013. Fostering empathy in collaborative decision making to reduce conflict and improve collective outcomes with interactive computer simulation. Paper presented June 22, 2013 at the Public Management Research Conference, June 20-22, 2013, Madison, Wisconsin.
Krishnamurthy, R., E. W. Johnston and A. Vinze. 2013. Fostering perspective-taking in collaborative decision making through computer mediated simulation. Paper presented by Erik Johnston at the Annual Conference of the American Society for Public Administration, Governance & Sustainability: Local Concerns, Global Challenges, March 15-19, 2013, New Orleans, LA.
2012
Johnston, P. and R. Krishnamurthy. 2012. Using a complex systems framework to teach students to ask questions. Presented by Rashmi Krishnamurthy on October 18 at the 2012 National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration Annual Conference, Austin, Texas, October 18-20, 2012.
2011
Hu, Q. and P. Johnston. 2011. Fostering collaboration through IT tools: the influence of a designed deliberative space on efforts to address collective challenges. Presented June 3, 2011 at the 11th Annual Public Management Research Conference, Syracuse, New York.
Johnston, P. and J. Auer. 2011. Managing uncertainty in collaborative governance – a multi-method study using agent-based models. Presented at the American Society of Public Administration Annual Conference, March 11-15, 2011, Baltimore, Maryland.