Professor Tom Johnston to retire after teaching 27 years in the Department

He has taught every freshmen mechanical engineering student who has passed through the Department during the last quarter century. But, after 27 years of teaching, Professor Tom Johnston, Full-Time Lecturer in the Deparment since 2000, is retiring at the end of this academic year. His frequent presence in the hallways will be missed by Faculty, Staff, and students. During his time teaching, Professor Johnston has taught ME101 hand drafting/AutoCAD, ME190 & ME195 (Pro-Engineer), ME101 & ME102 (Pro-Engineer/CREO and SolidWorks, EE204 Circuits, ME204 pre-mechatronics lab and the ME330 mechatronics Lab. Professor Johnston says that he will miss all of the positive interactions with the faculty and staff, as well as positive interactions with literally thousands of students watching them grow, mature and develop from their freshman through senior years along with hearing from or meeting up with them again years later with their spouses and kids of their own while leading successful careers as engineers. He recalls how some of his former students have been elevated into hiring positions and call him to hire students for internships or jobs. He recalls his most favorite experience as the old egg drop contest and the ME310 competitions with ASME barbeque that used to happen each year. He will miss the lunches with Faculty Colleagues at the Faculty/Staff Club. Tom says that it is a bittersweet feeling. He transferred to SDSU as a junior in 1989 and have watched all of the changes in the department, college and on campus. The ME department has grown from one of the smaller departments to one of the largest in the university. He recalled how when he started, the ME office fit into the ME conference room. Campus wide there was no library dome, large parking structures or Viejas Arena among other changes too numerous to count. Professor Johnston said "Overall, it has been a privilege and pleasure working with faculty, staff and students over the years. Mostly I feel that I have helped so many people better their lives and hopefully made the world a better place."