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Katherine Johnson (Fed)
Social Scientist
Katherine J. Johnson (Jo) is a researcher at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) who uses social scientific methodologies to improve engineering knowledge and practice. She is dedicated to tackling complex problems involving natural, human, and engineered systems and reducing the public's risk from natural hazards. Jo is grateful to have had the honor of participating in several disaster reconnaissance trips important for documenting natural hazards impacts, including to Florida after Hurricane Michael, Anchorage, AK, after the Cook Inlet Earthquake, and Hawaii after the Maui wildfires.
Jo’s research at NIST advances the performance of buildings and lifelines infrastructure to meet the needs of inhabitants in disaster and post-disaster scenarios. Currently, she provides leadership on several key projects which: (1) advance understanding of emergency communications in Puerto Rico in advance of Hurricane Maria, (b) develop performance objectives for the built environment to better meet the recovery needs of owners, users, and occupants, and (c) prepare building codes and standards to accommodate future stressors and conditions.