Virginia Burkett is presently an emeritus scientist at the United States Geological Survey. She retired from the USGS after 50 years of state, academic and federal service. Dr. Burkett has published roughly 100 scientific journal articles, book chapters and reports that focus on coasts, forests, wildlife and climate change. Sheserved as USGS Chief Scientist for Global Change Research (2008-2015) and, subsequently, as an Associate Director at the USGS. Prior to her work at USGS, Burkett was Secretary and Director of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, where she formerly served as Deputy Secretary.

As a U.S. Delegate to the international Group on Earth Observations in 2018-2025, Burkett helped coordinate the collection and delivery of satellite Earth observations from 116 nations. She was the US principal Delegate to AmeriGEO (21 countries in the Western Hemisphere). She served as an Editor of the journal Regional Environmental Change (2012-2022) and is presently on the Editorial Boards of Ethics in Science and Environmental Policy, Carbon Balance and Management and Regional Environmental Change.

Burkett has been appointed to over 70 Commissions, Committees, Science Panels and Boards during her career. Burkett is the recipient of numerous science and conservation awards, including the National Wildlife Federation’s Conservation Award for Science and the Presidents Award from The Nature Conservancy. In 2025, she received the John Maddox Prize for Standing Up for Science. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Wildlife Federation