Dr. Jenn Burns of Texas Tech University Named New Director of UMCES’s Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology

The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) has named Dr. Jenn Burns, a highly respected expert in marine physiology and ecology with a distinguished career in polar research and science leadership, as the new Director of its Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET). Dr. Burns will assume her leadership role on October 1, 2025.

As Director of IMET, Dr. Burns will lead the institute's cutting-edge research programs focused on marine and environmental biotechnology, aimed at protecting and restoring coastal marine systems, fostering sustainable resource use, and improving human health. She will also be instrumental in forging new collaborations with academic institutions, government agencies, and industry partners to translate scientific discoveries into tangible solutions for environmental challenges.

"We are delighted to welcome Dr. Jenn Burns to UMCES as the new Director of the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology," said UMCES President Dr. Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm. "Dr. Burns brings an exceptional track record as a scientist and a leader, with extensive experience in polar marine mammal research that aligns perfectly with IMET's mission of exploring diverse marine systems for innovative solutions. Her vision, deep scientific expertise, and history of collaborative leadership will be invaluable as we continue to advance our understanding and stewardship of the environment."

Dr. Burns joins UMCES from Texas Tech University, where she served as Chair and Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences. Her career highlights also include serving as a Program Officer in the National Science Foundation's Office of Polar Programs, and membership on the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council’s Science and Statistical Committee. Her research focuses on the linkages between physiology, nutrition, and performance in mammalian systems, with a particular emphasis on polar marine mammals and their adaptations to challenging environments. Her work explores how the interplay between age, physiological status, and environmental conditions influences diving behavior, foraging success, and critical life history events.

She is the author of more than 90 peer-reviewed publications and hundreds of scientific presentations. Dr. Burns is also recognized for her strong commitment to mentoring undergraduate researchers and graduate students, most of whom are now advancing marine science in academic, agency, or NGO positions. 

Dr. Burns’s highly collaborative and multidisciplinary projects on seal foraging behavior and reproductive success in the Antarctic have been supported by NSF’s Office of Polar Programs and the US GLOBEC program. She has also fostered international partnerships for research on pack ice seals in the North Atlantic and grey seals in Canada, and collaborated with local, state, and federal partners (such as the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, NOAA, USFWS, and Alaskan Native groups) to deepen the ecological knowledge and promote effective management strategies for harbor seals, northern fur seals, Steller sea lions, and northern sea otters in Alaska. "Since its inception, IMET has consistently demonstrated that combining innovative scientific research, high-quality education,  community engagement, and economic development advances fundamental knowledge and produces new tools and technologies to address pressing scientific and societal needs," said Dr. Burns. "I look forward to collaborating with IMET’s stellar faculty, students, and staff to strengthen its partnerships across the University of Maryland System, advance entrepreneurship, engage with a wider constituency, and expand the impact of the amazing science that occurs beneath the sails of The Rita Rossi Colwell Center in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor."

Dr. Burns earned her Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies (Marine Biology) from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, her M.S. in Fisheries from the University of Washington, and her A.B. in Biology (with a concentration in Marine Biology) and Zoology from the University of California, Berkeley.