Consulting Director of Technology Development

Dr. Derek Johnson was part of the first-generation plasma reactor research team with Colorado State University, the University of Wisconsin, and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. During this time he earned an M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Colorado State University with a focus on aqueous plasma reactors for nanoparticle synthesis and water remediation. Dr. Johnson then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Dr. Amy Prieto’s research group at CSU working on nanoscale synthesis of inorganic materials, and joined Dr. Prieto as a co-founder of CSU spinout company Prieto Battery, Inc., where he served in various leadership positions, most recently VP Operations & Technology Development. Dr. Johnson is currently Vice President, Global R&D of A123 Systems, LLC. His Ph.D. and postdoctoral research as well as his role as Symbios’ consulting Director of Technology Development have led to numerous peer-reviewed publications and patents in a number of multi-disciplinary subjects.

Dr. Johnson has extensive experience in determining and predicting oxidation mechanisms of organic pollutants as well as analyzing reaction kinetics. He also has demonstrated a proficiency in the design and fabrication of plasma and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactors, which were critical to design and construction of the Symbios Tubular Plasma Reactor he invented. His knowledge of electrodes, plasma, CVD systems, and thin-film deposition are critical to the technology advancements associated with the patented plasma reactor. In addition, Dr. Johnson has served as an expert reviewer for Environmental Science & Technology, Water Research, Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing, and the Water Quality Research Journal of Canada, scientific journals that publish scholarly work focused on plasma and water treatment processes. Dr. Johnson holds a B.S. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Florida and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Colorado State University.