Open SUNY Online Teaching Ambassador 2016 – Maritime: Captain Eric Johansson

Captain Eric Johansson, is a professor of marine transportation at SUNY Maritime College, the oldest and largest maritime school in the United States with 1,800 students.

For 22 years, Johansson has taught towing, shipping, leadership and ship systems to prepare men and women for careers in the maritime industry. He mentors many alumni as they continue their professional education both ashore and afloat. Prior to teaching, he served as master on salvage vessels, tugboats and ro-ro ships. His experience brings a wealth of hands-on expertise and knowledge into traditional and state-of-the-art simulation classrooms.

Johansson is the founder of the annual SUNY Maritime College Towing Forum, now in its 16th year. Forum attendees represent all levels of management from owner to operator and hail from all coasts of the United States and the Great Lakes. Tying together these industry professionals with topics relating to current and upcoming maritime regulations, cutting-edge technology and operating management systems makes this a popular and well-attended national event.

These same owners and operators have expressed interest in online professional education courses for mariners sailing at sea; modern vessels have the Internet and crews have the time for online training. Johansson, supported by SUNY Maritime’s instructional designer, developed an online training platform for augmenting core towing curriculum as a hybrid course.

“Going hybrid is the greatest advance in education today and is an excellent tool to engage and inspire students by transforming classroom discussions into an advanced level of professional learning,” he said. “This hybrid delivery system will be the foundation for fully online training for the professional mariner at sea.”

Johansson received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service, Professional Mariner’s Plimsoll Award and the United States Coast Guard Public Service Commendation.

He has written and published the results of several funded research projects including the Maritime Support Service Location Study I, Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation “Economic Analysis,” Small Business Dredge Needs Port of NY Study and New Jersey Offshore Wind Outlook.

Nominated by the Department of Homeland Security, Johansson serves as the vice chair of the Towing Safety Advisory Committee. Additionally, he serves on many local maritime committees including the harbor safety committee, the energy sub-committee and the New York Harbor School professional advisory committee. He is married with four children and lives in Smithtown, Long Island.