Kelly Johnson

Dr. Kelly Johnson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences within Ohio University’s College of Arts & Sciences. She also holds the title of American Electric Power Watershed Research and Reclamation Professor at the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs. Her research interests are primarily in the field of insect physiological ecology, with a particular emphasis on responses of aquatic organisms to environmental stressors related to acid mine drainage (acidity, sulfate, and elevated metals). A secondary but related interest is the digestive physiology and energy expenditure of herbivorous and detritus feeding insects.

Johnson’s research group has helped coordinate biological sampling at over 70 long-term monitoring sites in eastern Ohio, in cooperation with local watershed groups, the Voinovich School, and several state and federal agency partners. These data are valuable for tracking the success of remediation efforts for streams in the region. These and other historical statewide fish and macroinvertebrate distribution data are used to develop more predictive models of ecological recovery of these highly-impaired streams.

Johnson is author of over 25 peer-reviewed scientific articles and book chapters, a member of the Entomological Society of America, the North American Benthological Society and Sigma Xi, a science honor society. She served as an associate editor for Environmental Entomology from 2003-2007, and as a guest editor for two special issues of Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology on insect nutrition, as well as reviewer for numerous journals. She has served as ad hoc reviewer for the National Science Foundation and as a panel member for several national competitive grants programs for the USDA and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. She received her Ph.D. from Michigan State University.