Johnson is currently a professor of biological sciences at the University of Calgary, located in Alberta.
[3] His research aims to incorporate the concept of natural disturbance into plant community organisation and dynamics.
[3] E. A. Johnson's applied interests include but are not limited to global climate change, conservation biology, and ecosystem and fire management.
He is also a member of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Centres of Excellence in Sustainable Forest Management, NSERC Geomatics for Informed Decisions (GEOIDE), PAGSE (Royal Society of Canada), and he serves as the editor-in-chief of the journal Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America.
[3] E. A. Johnson has published four books that pertain to his areas of ecological interests.