Description Virginia Burkett is a graduate of Northwestern State University of Louisiana, where she received her Bachelor of Science and her Master of Science degrees in zoology and botany, respectively. Her doctoral degree in forestry was awarded from Stephen F. Austin State University in 1996. She began her research career at Louisiana State University’s Sea Grant program, followed by progressively responsible leadership positions in science and natural resources management at the state and federal level. Burkett has been appointed to over 70 Commissions, Committees, Science Panels and Boards during her career. She currently serves as Co-Principal representative of the US Department of Interior to the US Global Change Research Program. She currently represents the US Department of the Interior on the National Academies’ Climate Security Roundtable. She is a member of the Louisiana Governor’s Climate Initiatives Task Force and is the Co-Chair of the Science Advisory Group to the Task Force. She co-chairs the International Activities Working Group of the U.S. Group on Earth Observations.