Innovating in Academia: Expanding Access to Higher Education

In May 2021, The Ohio State University put health and safety protocols in place to hold not one but two in-person commencement ceremonies, presenting 12,345 degrees and certificates to graduates. “There’s really something to the Buckeye spirit,” says Ohio State President Dr. Kristina M. Johnson. Johnson began her tenure at Ohio State in August 2020—the latest step in what has been a remarkable career spanning industry, government, and academia. She led a variety of innovative initiatives as undersecretary of energy at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE); founder of clean-energy infrastructure company Hydrocube; and in her roles as professor, chancellor, provost, and senior vice president at universities including Duke University, the University of Colorado Boulder, and The State University of New York (SUNY).