Dr. Jenell Johnson

Professor Jenell Johnson is Director of Undergraduate Studies and Professor of Communication Arts at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she also serves as Director of the Holtz Center for Science and Technology Studies. An internationally recognized scholar in science communication, environmental communication, bioethics, and science and technology studies, her research examines how scientific knowledge is communicated, interpreted, and debated in the public sphere, with particular attention to the social and political dimensions of public engagement with science.

Johnson is the author of the acclaimed books American Lobotomy and Every Living Thing, as well as numerous influential publications exploring the intersections of medicine, ethics, technology, and society. In recent years, her work has focused on light pollution, public engagement with astronomy, and the global dark-sky movement. She investigates how communication shapes public understanding of environmental issues and how cultural values, scientific narratives, and policy discourse influence support for night-sky conservation. Her current research includes international studies of dark-sky advocacy, communication strategies for addressing light pollution, and public support for space exploration, offering valuable insights into the connections between environmental stewardship, scientific literacy, biodiversity conservation, and humanity’s relationship with the night sky.ll skys”