Ashanti Johnson

Dr. Ashanti Johnson is an international expert and highly accredited STEM speaker and author. Johnson is one of the first African American female Chemical Oceanographers in the country. Her leadership experiences with non-profit organizations, universities and most recently as CEO and Founding Superintendent of Cirrus Academy, a state-wide STEAM charter school system in Georgia (GA) has brought her around the world to Samoa, Fiji, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Bermuda, Brazil, Spain, China, Mexico, and several US government agencies, universities, international conferences and Pre-K-12 organizations.

Her initial interest in Oceanography and Marine Biology began at a young age, while watching Jacques Cousteau on television and was strengthened during an opportunity to interact with a female marine biology graduate student. After receiving her Ph.D. in Oceanography from Texas A&M University, she still cherishes the childhood memories that jump started her college and professional careers. She is known to frequently share her interest in the oceans with children, teachers, community leaders, college students and federal government officials. In additional to serving as an aquatic scientist and conducting research, Dr. Johnson has gained over 15 years of senior leadership experience in university, non-profit and K-12 organizations, including serving as the University of Texas-Arlington (UTA) Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Recruitment and Diversity, Institute of Broadening Participation (IBP) Executive Director, STEM Human Resource Development, Inc. CEO, Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success (MS PHD’S) Professional Development and Mentoring Institute Executive Director and Cirrus Academy Founding CEO/Superintendent.

Dr. Johnson currently serves as a Visiting Associate Chemistry Professor for Fort Valley State University, and Vice President-Chief Technical Officer for MatlScience, Inc. She previously served as Special Assistant to the President (STEM Initiatives) at Morris Brown College, Associate Professor of Environmental Science, Assistant Vice Provost at the University of Texas-Arlington (UTA) and Executive Director of the Institute for Broadening Participation. She has also been a faculty member at Mercer University, University of South Florida, Georgia Institute of Technology and Savannah State University, as well as a research scientist at Exxon Production Research Co. and Texas Instruments.

She has received many honors and awards throughout her career including a US Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring by President Obama at the White House. Most recently she received the 2019 John P. McGovern Science and Society Award by the Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society, in recognition to her international contributions and was also bestowed the prestigious American Geophysical Union (AGU) Excellence in Geophysical Education Award, the AGU Ambassador Award and was recognized as an AGU Fellow.