Dr. Burkins is Director of the Institute of Arctic Studies, Senior Associate Director in the John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding, and Adjunct Professor of Environmental Studies at Dartmouth. She also serves as the UArctic Chair in Science Diplomacy and Inclusion at Dartmouth, ISC Steering Committee member of the Fourth International Arctic Research Planning Conference (ICARP IV), Past Chair of the U.S. National Academies’ Board on International Scientific Organizations (BISO), and Past Chair of the U.S. National Committee for Geological Sciences (USNC-GS).
With a career spanning academia and government, Burkins is recognized as a “science diplomat” advocating for policy-engaged scholarship, science diplomacy education, and the engagement of more diverse knowledge systems, community voices, and youth in decision-making for Arctic and global climate and sustainable development policy.
During her first term with the ISC, Burkins contributed to multiple reports and initiatives focused on the advancement of more inclusive and sustainable global science systems. This included review of the 2019 UN Global Sustainability Development Report, service on the UN Office of Disaster Risk Reduction Global Assessment Report (UNDRR-GAR) Advisory Board, a science advisory role on the ISC 2021 Missions for Science report to the Global Forum of Funders (GFF), editorial contributions to the ISC program of Combatting Systemic Racism in Science, and service on the 15-Member UNESCO Global Independent Expert Group on Universities and the 2030 Agenda (EGU2030).
She looks forward to continuing her work towards creating more inclusive and equitable science systems, science diplomacy, and science governance in her second tour on the ISC Governing Board.