Academy of Distinguished Alumni
Joe W. Johnson M.S., N.A.E.
Inducted to the Academy of Distinguished Alumni on
Joseph William Johnson was professor emeritus of hydraulic engineering in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. He was a pioneer in the field of coastal engineering.
Joe, as he was always known, grew up in Winslow, Arizona, and Los Angeles, California. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from UC Berkeley in 1931 and 1934, respectively. After graduating, he spent a year at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
In July 1942, Joe was appointed an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley. He immediately became involved in the intensive study of waves and beaches undertaken for the U.S. Navy as part of a major effort in amphibious operations during World War II. Joe continued his research, teaching, and consulting, becoming a pioneer in the newly developing field of coastal engineering, attracting graduate students and visiting scholars from around the world.
In 1946, Joe was promoted to associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. In 1952, he was appointed professor of hydraulics in the Department of Civil Engineering, where he remained until his retirement in 1975.
Joe taught undergraduate and graduate courses in hydraulics and coastal engineering. He also recognized the importance of continuing professional education and lectured in short courses on coastal engineering offered by the University of California Extension and other universities. His research in coastal engineering was prolific, resulting in over 100 published papers and technical reports.
Perhaps Joe was best known for organizing what became known as the International Conferences on Coastal Engineering (ICCE) outside of his teaching, research, consulting, and government service.