Robert Johns
Bio
Robert Johns is the author of a novel, O’Brien’s Broken Play, and a book of three short novels, The Fighters: A Trilogy.
Johns turned to writing fiction after a career in transportation research, rising to the position of director of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. A fee-for-service organization of 600 federal employees and 500 on-site contractors, Volpe conducts approximately $300 million in annual research for all modes of transportation. Johns led an assessment of Volpe's strategic direction, a major reorganization, and negotiations for a new office building using a unique public-private partnership. He received the USDOT Secretary's Partnership in Excellence Award for his achievements.
Johns also served as director of the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota, after helping create the Center's mission and funding strategy. As director, he worked with over forty faculty members and researchers from multiple disciplines to attract research funding and increase transportation education and outreach. To honor his leadership, the university created the Robert Johns Research Partnership Award to annually recognize the impacts of interdisciplinary research teams. He finished his role at the university as a part-time senior fellow in the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, where he taught graduate students and advised faculty on research grants.
Nationally, Johns was active in the Transportation Research Board, culminating in his role as chair of the TRB Technical Activities Council, which oversees the research and outreach activities of 200 technical committees. Johns was also active on the Greater Boston Federal Executive Board and received its Distinguished Federal Executive of the Year Award.
Johns also held research and management positions with the Santa Fe Railway in Chicago, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, and the Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities Area. He has a BS degree in engineering operations from Iowa State University and an MBA degree in business and MA degree in English from the University of Iowa. He lives with his family in the Twin Cities.